White House delays summer picnic for Congress to September

The White House will not hold its annual Congressional Picnic in June, according to sources familiar with the planning.

The annual event, traditionally held for Senate and House members and their families, may happen in September, sources tells The Hill.

{mosads}The Obama administration blamed automatic spending cuts for canceling tours of the White House, but a source close to the situation said delaying the bipartisan, bicameral picnic was “schedule-related, not sequester-related.”

The White House has not made an official announcement on the picnic.

When the White House canceled tours of the mansion, some lawmakers proposed that it make cuts elsewhere, such as limiting the parties thrown for Congress and members of the media.