The president meets Wednesday with Senate Democrats, as the budget committee there and in the House of Representatives begin "marking up" budget resolutions, which form the framework for appropriations and other important legislation.

VOA: standard.2009.03.24

Mr Romney has embraced the budget of Paul Ryan, the Republican chairman of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives, which promises steep cuts in federal entitlements, including food stamps and Medicaid, and the replacement of traditional Medicare for the old with cheaper vouchers.

ECONOMIST: The size of the state

John Kasich, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, calls the bill egregious.

ECONOMIST: The budget and Congress

"He's just going to duck the responsibility to tackle this country's fiscal problems, " Republican Congressman Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, told the Associated Press news agency.

BBC: Obama budget plan to tax the rich