6.3: Discretionary Spending
Freeze discretionary spending. Other Information:
Freeze discretionary spending -- Policy makers have enacted spending "freezes" in the past to limit the amount of money spent
each year through appropriations bills. A freeze provides the same level of funds from one year to the next with no increase.
Budget savings result from forcing federal agencies to find ways to absorb rising costs instead of increasing their funding
levels. The President's FY 2011 budget submission called for a three-year freeze in non-security discretionary spending. It
exempted the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Administration, as well as the nuclear weapons programs run
by the Department of Energy and foreign aid. Other proposals would apply a freeze on all discretionary programs, or would
freeze the number of federal workers in order to keep spending from growing.
Indicator(s):
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