It is a question of simple arithmetic.  Unless we check the excessive growth of Federal expenditures or impose on ourselves matching increases in taxes, we will continue to run huge inflationary deficits in the Federal budget.

If we project the current built-in momentum of Federal spending through the next 15 years, State, Federal, and local government expenditures could easily comprise half of our gross national product.  This compares with less than a third in 1975.

I have just concluded the process of preparing the budget submissions for fiscal year 1976.  In that budget, I will propose legislation to restrain the growth of a number of existing programs.  I have also concluded that no new spending programs can be initiated this year, except for energy.  Further, I will not hesitate to veto any new spending programs adopted by the Congress.

As an additional step toward putting the Federal Government’s house in order, I recommend a 5-percent limit on Federal pay increases in 1975.  In all Government programs tied to the Consumer Price Index—­including social security, civil service and military retirement pay, and food stamps—­I also propose a 1-year maximum increase of 5 percent.

None of these recommended ceiling limitations, over which Congress has final authority, are easy to propose, because in most cases they involve anticipated payments to many, many deserving people.  Nonetheless, it must be done.  I must emphasize that I am not asking to eliminate, to reduce, to freeze these payments.  I am merely recommending that we slow down the rate at which these payments increase and these programs grow.

Only a reduction in the growth of spending can keep Federal borrowing down and reduce the damage to the private sector from high interest rates.  Only a reduction in spending can make it possible for the Federal Reserve System to avoid an inflationary growth in the money supply and thus restore balance to our economy.  A major reduction in the growth of Federal spending can help dispel the uncertainty that so many feel about our economy and put us on the way to curing our economic ills.

If we don’t act to slow down the rate of increase in Federal spending, the United States Treasury will be legally obligated to spend more than $360 billion in fiscal year 1976, even if no new programs are enacted.  These are not matters of conjecture or prediction, but again, a matter of simple arithmetic.  The size of these numbers and their implications for our everyday life and the health of our economic system are shocking.

I submitted to the last Congress a list of budget deferrals and rescissions.  There will be more cuts recommended in the budget that I will submit.  Even so, the level of outlays for fiscal year 1976 is still much, much too high.  Not only is it too high for this year but the decisions we make now will inevitably have a major and growing impact on expenditure levels in future years.  I think this is a very fundamental issue that we, the Congress and I, must jointly solve.