GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Rep. Justin Amash was one of two Republicans to cross party lines and vote against the budget proposal from Wisconsin’s Paul Ryan.

The Cascade Township Republican called opposing the measure, which squeaked out of committee Wednesday, one of the most difficult decisions of his tenure in the House.

Amash, on his Facebook page, said the budget didn't go far enough, fast enough and lacked critical elements that would prevent it from gaining bipartisan support. Ryan proposed $5.3 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade.

Amash cited the Congressional Budget Office analysis showing that the proposal would not balance the budget until 2040. The plan also exempts the military from cuts that would likely prevent Democrats from signing on to reform of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid contained in Ryan’s proposal.

“I have a lot of respect for Chairman Paul Ryan and his outstanding staff. They worked tirelessly to put together a budget that was, in most respects, better than last year's budget,” Amash wrote in his explanation of the dissenting vote.

The Republican leaning Club for Growth political action committee, which gave Amash a 100 percent rating for his pro-business, limited government voting record, also opposed the plan.

Democrats voting against the Ryan budget complained it relied heavily on sharp declines to safety net, education and infrastructure programs. They called it an "unrealistic" approach that would nearly halve the 2013 transportation outlay and slash health care for the poor by more than $800 million over 10 years, according to the Associated Press.

Amash was joined by Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kansas, in voting against the budget. All 16 Democrats on the committee cast dissenting votes, putting the final tally at 19-18.

The plan faces a tough road in the full chamber and virtually no chance at passing the Democrat-controlled Senate, analysts said.

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