Washington, Jan 29, SPA -- US President George W. Bush will announce his efforts to cut money delegated for earmarked projects by U.S. lawmakers during the State of the Union address, the White House said. According to Deputy White House press secretary Tony Fratto, Bush will promise to take “unprecedented steps” to “veto any spending bill that does not succeed in cutting earmarks in half from 2008 levels.” On Tuesday, Bush is set to issue an executive order directing federal agencies to ignore any future earmarks included only in committee reports, not in the text of legislation. If indeed spending for such projects is warranted, then “Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote,” Fratto said. Congress approved more than 11,700 earmarks for the 2008 fiscal year, according to the Office of Management and Budget. The projects were valued at more than $19 billion.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/522194