President Joe Biden is taking aim at Congressional Republicans for not yet releasing a budget for the 2024 fiscal year.
āI told the speaker, as soon as heās ready to lay out his budget, Iām ready to sit down,ā Biden said on Friday, adding, āNow Iām hearing things like, āWell, weāre not going to have our budget till April or May, maybe even June.'ā
He went on, āAll this talk pushing me to get my budget done. I said Iād have it done by the ninth. I had it done by the ninth. I handed it to them.ā
āWhy all of a sudden canāt they get it done in March, or maybe even April, maybe even May? I donāt know, doesnāt sound like theyāre on the level yet,ā Biden added.
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His comments come a day after he revealed his budget for the 2024 fiscal year.
It calls for increasing the Department of Defenseās discretionary budget to $842 billion, up 3.2% from the previous year.
Additionally, it would impose a minimum 25% tax on Americans whose wealth is greater than $100 million.
And the proposal would increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%.
Biden claimed his budget āreflects our values as a Nation ā a Nation of good people, growing in a new age of possibilities, and standing as a beacon to the world.ā
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) gave the proposal a cold reception as he tweeted, āPresident Biden just delivered his budget to Congress, and it is completely unserious. He proposes trillions in new taxes that you and your family will pay directly or through higher costs.ā
āMr. President: Washington has a spending problem, NOT a revenue problem,ā he added.
Biden has expressed openness to sitting down with McCarthy to discuss budget proposals.
āIām ready to meet with the speaker any time ā tomorrow, if he has his budget,ā he said on Thursday, adding, āLay it down, tell me what you want to do. Iāll show you what I want to do.ā
House Republicans have said they are working to meet the April 15 deadline to unveil their budget.