White House expects Capitol Hill battle on president's budget
WHITE HOUSE The Bush administration says it's ready to fight for the president's tight budget plan. White House budget director Joshua Bolton doesn't expect Congress to approve everything, but he's headed into the budget battle with what he calls "a happy spirit."
Bolton says the two and-a-half (t) trillion dollar spending plan will bring the deficit down in 2006 and for the four years after that.
He says costs of the Iraq war, which aren't included in the budget, should start to tail off as Iraqis pick up more security responsibilities.
Bolton also says President Bush's Social Security overhaul plan will produce a net savings over time, though it will require some borrowing.
He says the White House anticipates "extensive, serious" negotiations.
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