The White House has directed non-security federal agencies to trim their identify ways on how to trim their budgets by up to 5 percent. The new budget guidelines unveiled June 8 by Peter Orszag, U.S. President Obama’s budget director, also require both defense and non-defense agencies to name their worst-performing programs, CNN Money reports. The guidelines are part of Obama’s proposed three-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending. They come amid public anxiety over and criticism of government spending, the Washington Post has noted.
The U.S. is still engaged in talks with Israel about the investigation on the country’s attack on an aid flotilla headed for the Gaza Strip, according to Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley. In a recent briefing, Crowley also said the U.S. supports South Korea’s report about North Korea to the U.N. Security Council regarding the March sinking of the Cheonan warship.
