Obama to propose $3.8 trillion budget

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget calls for a freeze on spending for many discretionary programs, The New York Times reports.

The proposed $3.8 trillion budget for the fiscal year beginning in October is to be sent to Congress Monday. While the budget would increase spending for some programs, especially in education and scientific research, others would be cut, including money for NASA moon landings.

Dan Pfeiffer, a White House spokesman, said in a blog post the administration has had to make tough choices.

"In the 2011 budget we will release on Monday, we terminated or reduced programs that weren't working well or duplicated efforts, some in areas that are important to the president and to the administration," he said.

Obama has called for a three-year freeze on part of the discretionary budget. That would save $250 billion during the next decade if spending increases after the freeze are no greater than the rate of inflation. But the savings would amount to only 3 percent of the deficit, the Times said.

Defense and entitlement programs, especially Social Security and Medicare, account for much of federal spending.