President Bush said Thursday that "now is the time to confront Social Security" (search) and vowed to send Congress "a tough budget" early next year to hold keep down federal spending.
"You will see fiscal discipline exercised inside the Oval Office this coming budget cycle," the president told a White House economic conference during the second day of the two-day event.
Ready to head into his second term in the White House, the president has made Social Security reform a cornerstone of his new agenda as his administration grapples with a projected $3.7 trillion, 75-year shortfall for the program.
President Bush spells out domestic agenda in a word: R-E-F-O-R-M. From taxes to Social Security to liability lawsuits: What will it mean to you? We'll ask Treasury Secretary John Snow.
Plus, the national pastime and the nation's capitol: Is baseball good business for a city with financial woes? We'll find out from Anthony Williams, mayor of Washington, D.C.
And, is Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (search) on the hot seat? We'll get powerful political punditry from Brit Hume, FOX News Washington managing editor, and FOX News contributors Ceci Connolly of The Washington Post; Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard, and Juan Williams of National Public Radio.