Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement in response to reports that the Obama administration will call for a freeze on the level of non-defense discretionary spending in its 2011 budget proposal.

“Having racked up more debt in one year than any President in history, I look forward to seeing what constitutes President Obama’s definition of ‘spending freeze,’” said Congressman Price. “Washington Democrats have jacked up non-defense discretionary spending by 85 percent during the last two years. Since 2007, Democrats in Congress have increased the national debt by 38 percent, and at this very moment they are trying to raise the debt limit by another $1.9 trillion!

“A freeze at anything over pre-bailout and pre-stimulus spending levels is a faux-freeze. Conservatives have long called for actual cuts to non-defense discretionary spending to bring our fiscal house into order. While the President’s proposal is a verbal step in the right direction, you can’t climb a growing mountain with baby steps. If the President is sincere about answering conservatives’ calls to rein in spending, we will welcome his efforts. His toughest sell, however, will be with Congressional Democrats, many of whom have already rejected the notion of fiscal responsibility.”