U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, voted for the measure Wednesday. (File)

WASHINGTON (February 6, 2013)--The GOP-controlled House passed a bill Wednesday intended to call attention to President Barack Obama's failure to submit a balanced budget during his years in office.

Democrats called the legislation a political gimmick, and it's sure to be ignored by the Democrats who control the U.S. Senate, but U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, pointed out in a statement “for almost four years, the Senate has failed to pass a budget proposal or to attempt to meet our fiscal challenges,”

The "Require Presidential Leadership and No Deficit Act," which would require the president to submit a budget that balances the government's books, passed by a 253-167 vote.

“It is time that the president confronts this issue head on and put forth a budget that will control federal spending,” Flores said.

“With passage of the Require a PLAN Act, the president will be held accountable to produce a balanced budget that would ultimately eliminate the deficit,” he said.

The legislation tries to draw contrast between Mr. Obama and House Republicans, who recently announced that their upcoming budget blueprint would come to balance within a decade, which marks a shift from the past two years, when Republican budgets had sharp spending cuts but failed to project a balanced budget.