House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is unsure whether Congress will pass a budget this year, acknowledging that it’s difficult to pass large, complex spending resolutions in the House during election years. The Maryland Democrat said he and Budget committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) “both believe that it would be important” to pass a budget but they’re unsure if Democrats have the votes to pass it through the lower body. Republicans did not pass a budget resolution in 1998, 2002 2004 and 2006 – all years when members of Congress faced re-elections. “Obviously, as I just pointed out to you, it’s difficult to pass budgets in election years,” Hoyer said.
