A Leaner Federal Government?

President Obama asks Congress to expand the powers of the Presidency to help slim down the Government by merging certain Federal Agencies together.

FOX News Radio’s Mike Majchrowitz reports from the White House:

The President is asking Congress for the authority to quickly streamline Government; he would propose consolidations and they would have to act on them, up or down, in 90 days.

Pres Obama: “This is the same sort of authority that every business owner has, to make sure that his or her company keeps pace with the times.”

The President says he would start by consolidating the Commerce Department with five other agencies dealing with business or trade into one super agency. ?Republicans say they can work with the President on this idea, but Senator John Cornyn of Texas says, it sounds a lot like an election eve conversion to smaller Government.

At the White House, Mike Majchrowitz, FOX News Radio.

Editor’s Note: ?The last President to have this power was Ronald Reagan, until Congress took it away.