House Passes Ryan Budget

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) -- Republicans have pushed an election-year $3.5 trillion budget through a divided House that showcases their plans for trimming federal deficits and contrasts sharply with how President Barack Obama and Democrats would tackle the nation's fiscal problems.

(Related: ‘Let’s Not Wait Until We Have a Crisis’: Paul Ryan Pleads for Fiscal Reform in Budget Debate)

The GOP package, proposed by Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), would revamp Medicare, cut everything from food stamps to transportation and reject Obama's call for higher taxes on the rich. It envisions collapsing the six different income tax rates into just two, with a top rate of 25 percent compared with today's 35 percent. It would also eliminate unspecified tax breaks.

The House approved the measure Thursday by a near party-line 228-191 vote.

The vote breakdown was 228 Republicans in favor, 181 Democrats and 10 Republicans opposed.

The plan faces almost certain rejection by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

This post has been updated since it was first published.