Paul Ryan Goes After Obama For Missing Budget Deadline

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House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) attacked President Obama for missing the Feb. 4 deadline to submit a budget proposal to Congress, saying he’s “disappointed” and warning that “the most vulnerable will suffer” if Washington doesn’t get its finances in order.

Ryan said in a statement Monday morning:

“I’m disappointed the President has missed his deadline. But I’m not surprised. In four of the last five years, he’s failed to submit his budget on time. We still don’t know when we’ll receive the president’s request. And for nearly four years, Senate Democrats haven’t passed a budget at all. We deserve better.

“We spend $1 trillion more than we take in each year. In fact, we spend $3 for every $2 we take in. And we can’t keep that up. If we stay on this path, our finances will collapse. The economy will stall. And the most vulnerable will suffer. We need a budget that reflects our priorities—that expands opportunity. The fact is, we cannot achieve those goals unless we budget responsibly.

“Every time the President and Senate Democrats shirk their duty, they delay choices we need to make. We’ve still got time, but it’s dwindling. Every missed deadline is a missed opportunity. We need to get serious about spending now.

“The House Budget Committee will do its job. We’ll write a budget–and submit it on time. In the past two years, we’ve offered our solutions to the country’s fiscal challenges. Now the President must do the same.”

Senate Democrats have said they intend to produce a budget this spring.

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