Government spending will take top priority post-election, especially with Republicans expected to gain seats and coming in with promises to rein in the deficit, The Washington Post reports.

According to the Post, John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has pledged to roll back agency spending to 2008 levels and stage weekly votes to get rid of “unpopular federal programs.”

The House GOP Pledge to America agenda calls for a balanced budget, but congressional budget analysts say moves such as a return to 2008 levels will only “barely dent the trillion-dollar deficits” projected for the decade, according to the article.

President Obama has vowed to focus on deficit reduction for the remainder of his term, proposing a three-year freeze for most agencies and considering an additional 5 percent cut in the request that will go to Congress in February.

The president has appointed a bipartisan commission to develop a plan for cutting the deficit. The six Republicans, six Democrats and six presidential appointees of the commission will issue their report by Dec. 1.

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