On May 16, 2012, the Senate failed to pass five different budget proposals, thus ensuring Congress will not enact a budget this year. Congressional budgets are non-binding documents and as such do not require the President's approval. This is by no means the first time in recent history where Congress has failed to pass a budget, though the failure of chambers to do so often makes for good political theater. Here's a summary of the five proposals that failed to garner enough support to proceed:

Administration's Budget (S. Con. Res. 41).

In a highly political move, Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Session's (R-AL) offered a version of President's Obama's budget, which failed by a vote of 0-99 (roll call vote). In March during the deliberations of the House Budget, Rep. Mulvaney (R-SC) offered a similar amendment which failed by a 0-414 vote (roll call vote).

Ryan Budget (,H. Con. Res. 112)

On March 29, 2012, by a vote of 228-191 (roll call vote) the House passed a budget authored by Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). This budget would repeal the Affordable Care Act and provided for an overhaul of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Under the Ryan Budget, the Medicare program would be transitioned into a "premium support" model where private companies would compete against traditional fee-for-service Medicare and beneficiaries would receive a risk-adjusted subsidy to help pay for their coverage. The Medicaid program would be converted into a block grant program.

As part of their budget votes, the Senate brought up the House-passed budget, which failed by a 41-58 vote (roll call vote), with five Republicans joining all Democrats in rejecting the budget.

Toomey Budget (S. Con. Res. 37)

Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) offered a budget proposal similar to the proposal he offered last year. This year's proposal would repeal the ACA and included some entitlement reforms including means testing of the Medicare program, enacting a Medicare premium support-model, and block granting the Medicaid program.

The Toomey budget failed by a vote of 42-57 (roll call vote), with all Democrats and four Republicans voting against the measure.

Paul Budget (S. Con. Res. 42)

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered a budget proposal that would balance the budget in five years by significantly reducing federal spending. His budget proposal would repeal the Affordable Care Act and block grant the Medicaid, SCHIP, food stamp, and child nutrition programs. Under his proposal, the Medicare program would be eliminated and replaced with a plan to provide subsidized health care coverage to seniors.

This proposal failed by a vote of 16 to 83 (roll call vote)

Lee Budget (S. Con. Res. 44)

Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Jim DeMint (R-SC), and Rand Paul (R-KY) offered a conservative budget proposal modeled on the Heritage Foundation's "Saving the American Dream" plan. The proposal would repeal the Affordable Care Act and replaced it with a tax credit individuals could use to purchase health care. Medicare would be transformed into a defined contribution premium support plan, Medicaid would be block-granted and Social Security would be altered to provide an "income adjusted" monthly benefit to recipients.

This budget proposal failed by 17-82 (roll call vote).

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