Democrats Respond To GOP 2013 Budget

Congressional Democrats plan to release an alternative to the GOP's response to President Barack Obama's fiscal 2013 budget. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) says House Democrats' plan also would reduce the federal deficit. But he says it would preserve Medicare. Van Hollen criticized the Republican budget released last week as giving tax breaks to millionaires and ending the Medicare guarantee. The Hill newspaper reports the Democrats' plan would cap overall discretionary spending at the levels set by last summer's debt-ceiling deal, even though some on the left of the party say that's too restrictive.