On Friday House Republicans privately warned the White House to limit spending in the next year or risk potential backlash against some of his budget priorities. Conservative Republicans have criticized Bush for proposing initiatives including the expansion of the space program at a time of record deficits. The conservative Heritage Foundation has estimated discretionary spending under Bush has increased at least 12 percent each of the past two years. Bush is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union tonight at 9 Eastern time. Republican officials have acknowledged they purposely scheduled the date of Bush’s speech to follow the Iowa caucus. A Republican close to Bush told the New York Times, “Was it planned? Yes. The fact that the Iowa caucus was going to be held on a certain date was not unknown to people in the White House.”