In more than two hours of questions and comments, many lawmakers said they wanted sharper spending reductions than Bush will propose. While seeking steep increases for defense and domestic security, the president will propose holding other programs to 0.5 percent growth, well below the inflation rate, administration and congressional officials said.
"Grave concern was expressed about the overall level of spending," Representative John Shadegg, Republican of Arizona, said of legislators' comments to Bolten. "And he was very forthcoming about saying the administration could work with members' concerns."
Though some moderate Republicans voiced support for deeper spending cuts, others questioned whether there would be enough support, especially in an election year, for holding many popular programs to less than the inflation rate.
Democrats are sure to use proposed cuts as fodder in election campaigns.
Meanwhile, new details emerged about proposals in the $2.3 trillion spending plan Bush reveals Monday, including:
$2.7 billion for efforts to battle AIDS and other diseases in poor African and Caribbean countries. Congress provided $2.4 billion this year, $400 million more than Bush requested.
$2.5 billion for the Millennium Challenge Account, which Bush and lawmakers created last year for countries adopting democratic reforms. Bush won $1 billion this year, $300 million less than he wanted.
An overall 3 percent boost for education, which got $58.6 billion for this year. Bush has said there will be $1 billion increases within that total for both special education and low-income school districts. Rural education spending is among several school programs he will propose cutting.
The details were provided by congressional and administration officials.
Also emerging was more information about the $401.7 billion budget Bush will request for the Pentagon, which accidentally posted parts of the proposal on its website. That would be a 7 percent increase over this year.
