White House delays release of 2013 budget to Feb. 13

1/23/2012
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON  — The White House is delaying for one week the release of President Barack Obama’s budget for the 2013 fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

The budget is traditionally released on the first Monday in February — which is Feb. 6 — but the administration has pushed the release to Feb. 13. An administration official said the later date was chosen “based on the need to finalize decisions and technical details.”

After last year’s failed attempts at budget deals, election-year expectations are low that Obama and Congress will be able to make progress this year on deficits that required the government to borrow 36 cents of every dollar it spent last year.

Jacob Lew, budget director since late 2010, is making the transition to White House chief of staff.