 A competing plan , called The Path to Prosperity , was announced by House Republicans , led by House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan , on April 5 , 2011 . This plan would cut $ 5 @.@ 8 trillion in spending over ten years , but would also reduce tax income by $ 4 @.@ 2 trillion below current projections . The plan would make no further reduction in defense spending beyond the Obama administration 's plan , but would make major changes to Medicare , Medicaid , and Social Security , which was expected to pass more of the cost of these programs onto individuals . It would also cut energy research and other applied research and development . This plan was criticized by Democrats for disproportionately cutting programs which benefit the disadvantaged and stifling innovation , while not cutting defense spending further and containing deep tax cuts . The House Republican plan was defeated in the Senate by a margin of 40 – 57 votes on May 25 , 2011 , the same day that the Obama budget was also defeated . 
