Budget Committee Website Finally Goes Live with Dem Budget Proposal

Washington, D.C. - May 14, 2010 - House Democrats like Rick Larsen have been under heavy criticism for refusing to pass - or even propose - a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. But after weeks of hedging, it looks like Larsen's party has finally gone public with their budget plans. According to the House Budget Committee's website, the proposal is actually pretty simple: It's blank.

http://budget.house.gov/menu_congress.shtml

Facing the prospect of a brutal election year and a deeply fractured party, Rick Larsen and his fellow Democrats have completely punted on their responsibility to pass a budget and lay out a fiscal roadmap, even as the country faces record deficits and unemployment near double digits.

Current Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have both made it clear that Democrats are failing at one of their most fundamental duties as a governing majority:

In 2006, as Democrats were pushing to take control of the House and Republicans were hamstrung by their own budget woes, [Spratt] said: "If you can't budget, you can't govern." (Jonathan Allen, "Budget Looms Over Midterm Elections," Politico, 5/10/10)

"Boehner dug up an old quote from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) who previously said the 'most basic responsibility of governing is to pass a budget.'" (Jake Sherman, "John Boehner Slams 'Inability to Govern," Politico, 5/13/10)

"Americans have long suspected that Rick Larsen and his fellow Democrats are either unwilling or unable to lead the country out of its looming fiscal crisis," said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. "Now, we have the proof. His own colleagues put it best: Larsen and his party leaders are failing at the job of governing. With deficits exploding and unemployment at nearly ten percent, Washington families are tightening their belts and trimming their budgets while Larsen and his party leaders just can't stop spending."