COCHRAN STATEMENT ON OBAMA’S FY2011 BUDGET PROPOSAL

(Click here to access audio statement from Senator Cochran)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the FY2011 budget plan presented to Congress by President Obama on Monday:

“The President’s proposals will be closely examined as the FY2011 budget and appropriations process gets underway.  I expect that many of President Obama’s spending priorities and tax increase recommendations will be viewed critically in Congress, which will have different priorities in some areas. 

“Meeting the nation’s security and domestic needs while restraining spending will be difficult.  But given the nation’s growing and unsustainable debt, that is exactly what the House and Senate must do.”

The President has proposed a $3.83 trillion federal budget for FY2011, which includes $1.41 trillion in discretionary spending.  The budget projects this year’s deficit at nearly $1.6 trillion.  The proposed budget blueprint will be the starting point from which Congress will develop the FY2011 Budget Resolution and subsequent appropriations bills to fund federal programs.