Obama to delay 2012 Budget by a week

President Barack Obama will delay the release of his Budget for the 2012 fiscal year by about one week, until after February 14, an administration official said.
The administration will need more time to prepare the Budget because of delays in Senate confirmation of budget director Jack Lew and congressional approval of government spending measures this year, the official said.

The administration's budget proposal is typically released the first Monday in February, which would be February 7 in 2011.

Lew, who was nominated by Obama for the top budget post in July, wasn't confirmed by the Senate until November 19 because of a dispute with senator Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat, over off-shore oil-drilling policies.

Congress adjourned on Thursday without completing work on legislation that would fund the government through the 2011 fiscal year, which ends on September 30. Earlier this week, Congress approved a measure to pay for government operations through March 4 after Republicans blocked a $1.2 trillion spending bill that would have funded the government until the end of the fiscal year. The action by lawmakers means federal agencies will go roughly halfway through their 2011 fiscal year without updated budgets.