Official: Obama to call for 5-year spending freeze

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: MSNBC

A White House official says President Barack Obama will call for a five-year freeze in non-security, discretionary spending during his State of the Union address.

The official says the proposal will be part of the president's plans to reduce the deficit that he will outline in Tuesday's primetime address. The official says Obama will also call for lawmakers to back a five-year plan put forth by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to save $78 billion in defense spending.

"In areas outside the freeze, we also will be looking for cuts and efficiencies," a senior White House official told NBC News.

Obama is under pressure from the public and lawmakers to cut spending. Several Republican lawmakers have proposed cutting $100 billion from Obama's budget for the current year.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41255084/ns/politics-white_house