WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is likely to issue his budget proposal the week of April 8, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Tuesday.

The president usually releases a budget proposal outlining how he would pay for his policy priorities in early February. The release of the budget has been held back this year by negotiations with Congress over tax rates and spending cuts, the White House has said.

(Reporting By Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Sandra Maler)