The White House will release its budget a week late, on Monday, Feb. 13, according to an administration official. Originally, it had been scheduled for its release on Feb. 6. When asked about the delay, the official wrote in an email: “As in previous years, the date was determined based on the need to finalize decisions and technical details of the document.”
Federal law stipulates the budget is to be released on the first Monday in February, but release last year was also delayed by the Office of Management and Budget.
Republicans wasted little time in attacking President Obama for the delay. Former OMB Director and now Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, issued a press release criticizing the administration for the looming federal deficit and for not outlining a clear vision of fiscal policy.
“I'm incredibly concerned that, with a record national debt now equal to 100 percent of our GDP, the president is unable to put forward a plan to address Washington's out of control debt and deficits,” Portman said.
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