"For those core investments in our kids' education and in science and research, it is simply shortsighted to take a hatchet to those programs," Van Hollen said.
Public Opposed
Polls show the public agrees. A Bloomberg National Poll in March showed 77% of Americans oppose cuts to education, 72% don't want medical-research funding reduced, and 66% are against scaling back community-renewal programs.
Simpson and other Republicans say this year's $1.6 trillion projected deficit and $14 trillion in government debt leave lawmakers little choice than to target a wide scope of programs.
"I don't think there's any program that is going to escape budget cuts," said Simpson, 60, a member of both the budget and appropriations committees. "I suspect we are going to get a great deal of abuse, not just from Democrats, but from our constituents."
Simpson, who heads the appropriations panel on the interior and the environment, said programs he likes, such as a land and water conservation fund, aren't likely to escape cuts either.
S&P Warning
Republican Representative Jeff Flake of Arizona said lawmakers risk even more by not doing enough to tackle the nation's fiscal problems. On April 18, Standard & Poor's put the U.S. government on notice that it risks losing its AAA credit rating unless policy makers agree on a plan by 2013 to reduce budget deficits and the national debt.
Republicans also say the discretionary spending they are aiming at rose more than 20% in two years under President Barack Obama.
"Last time I checked that wasn't the age of austerity," said Flake, an appropriator, referring to the 2006 spending levels to which Republicans want to return. He favors scaling back agriculture subsidies.
Likely targets are areas that have seen the biggest increases in funding over the past decade, such as education, transportation, health research and foreign assistance, said Brian Riedl, a budget analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a policy research organization in Washington.
State, Local Issue