Republican wants vote on blank Obama budget

A Republican congressman wants to force a vote on President Obama’s 2014 budget — even though it’s a blank page.

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) will attempt to stage the vote as an amendment to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) 2014 budget, which is coming to the floor this week.

But because Obama has yet to produce a budget for 2014, there would be nothing for House members to actually vote upon.

{mosads}“He is planning to offer the president’s budget… as he did last year. Except this year, the president hasn’t submitted anything,” an aide said. “So it will be blank.”

It is unclear whether the House Rules Committee will allow Mulvaney’s amendment. It will meet later on Monday to determine amendments to the Ryan budget.

Mulvaney last year offered a version of Obama’s 2013 budget as amendment to the last Ryan budget in March 2012. The Obama budget was defeated on a 414-0 vote after the White House urged Democrats to oppose it as a stunt.

Obama was required to submit a budget under the law by Feb. 4. The White House now says the blueprint will probably come out April 8.

This is the first time since the modern budget process began that the president will have submitted a budget after both the House and the Senate will have completed their own budget processes.

Senate Republicans plan to use Senate procedures to force a vote on Obama’s forthcoming plan later in the year, aides say.

The Ryan budget coming up for a vote, likely on Thursday, cuts $5.7 billion in spending compared to the Congressional Budget Office baseline. It would balance by 2023 while lowering tax rates.

Obama’s last budget did not project a balance despite tax increases and this year’s budget is expected to be similar.