It's an important week on the budget for President Obama, though much of what he does in coming days will overshadow that issue.

This evening, Mr. Obama will meet behind closed doors with House Republicans at the Capitol, looking to cement their support for a budget outline that mirrors his original plan.

Both the House and Senate will vote this week on a budget framework for the next fiscal year, which will lay the groundwork for budget fights this Summer, as well as battles over health care reform, climate change legislation and more.

The vote is more symbolic than anything this week - because it doesn't have the force of law - but it does start the Congress on the Budget Road, which will certainly bring along a number of high profile political battles for the White House.

But by the time the House and Senate vote on their respective plans later in the week, much of the news coverage of Obama will be about his trip to Europe, for both a G-20 economic gathering and a NATO meeting.

The budget will be the big focus this week for the Congress, before lawmakers skedaddle out of town for a two week Easter Break.

When they return, the goal will be to agree on a final budget outline for Fiscal Year 2011, including plans that could use arcane "budget reconciliation" parliamentary rules in the Senate, which would prevent a filibuster.