White House Budget director Jacob Lew testified on the president’s 2012 budget request, which he called a “down payment” toward fiscal solvency. He also said that Congress needed to work together to address the long-term aspects of the budget. Chairman Ryan said the president’s budget showed that the president “abdicated his leadership role” in facing “our nation’s most pressing fiscal challenges.” The budget request totaled 3.7 trillion dollars and the administration said it would reduce the deficit by $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years.