Politics

Hoyer: Dems might not pass a budget

Politico
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is unsure whether Congress will pass a budget this year, acknowledging that it?s difficult to pass large, complex spending resolutions in the House during election years.

The Maryland Democrat said he and Budget committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) ?both believe that it would be important? to pass a budget but they?re unsure if Democrats have the votes to pass it through the lower body.

?Obviously, as I just pointed out to you, it?s difficult to pass budgets in election years,? Hoyer said.

The budget resolutions are non-binding blueprints for federal spending, but the process is filled with politically perilous votes on taxes and spending levels.

If Democrats can?t pass a budget it won?t wholly be on their shoulders, Hoyer said. The ?deep debt? brought on by the economic policies of the Bush administration still linger over the budget process ? 90 percent of the debt is a ?direct consequence of those policies,? the No. 2 House Democrat said.

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Full post as published by Mike Conaway's Blog on April 13, 2010 (boomark / email).