Senate panel readies budget markup for week of March 11

The Senate Budget Committee is expected to mark up its budget blueprint the week of March 11, ahead of the arrival of President Obama's plan to Capitol Hill. 

So far, specific dates have not been announced, but if the panel marks up a resolution that week it would be on track toward Senate approval before lawmakers leave town for a two-week Easter recess on March 22, according to a Senate aide. 

Senate Budget Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has vowed to mark up a budget resolution, which would be the first budget markup in four years for the panel. 

On Thursday, Murray said that her budget plan would include a proposal for stopping the sequester, which went into effect on Friday. 

Congress voted in January to suspend lawmakers' pay if the chambers don't approve their respective budgets by April 15. 

The president's budget for fiscal 2014 is expected to reach Capitol Hill by March 25, seven weeks behind schedule. 

The House is expected to move forward with its own version on a similar schedule. 

The budget panels will be working on next year's spending levels while lawmakers also attempt to hammer out an agreement on a six-month bill that would finalize spending decisions for the remainder of this year, through Sept. 30. 

After a meeting with congressional leaders on Friday, Obama said he would sign a continuing resolution that maintains the $85 billion in spending cuts. 

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