Trump budget bill could miss key deadline amid House GOP infighting
House Republicans’ plan for a massive conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process is hitting a roadblock as a key deadline is expected to be missed this week. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had previously stated that House Republicans were aiming to advance their bill out of committee this week. However, Republican hardliners on the House Budget Committee have pushed back against GOP leaders’ initial proposal for spending cuts, causing delays in the process.
According to multiple sources, the budget resolution is unlikely to move through committee this week as initially planned. There is a disagreement among GOP members regarding the proposed spending cuts, with some arguing that the initial offer by leadership would increase deficits even further. The national debt has surpassed $36 trillion, with the current U.S. deficit running over $710 billion for this fiscal year.
During a three-day retreat at Trump National Doral golf course and resort last week, House Republicans discussed possible avenues for pursuing spending cuts. The goal is to use the reconciliation process to pass a broad range of President Trump’s agenda items by lowering the Senate passage threshold from 60 votes to 51. This would allow Republicans to bypass Democrats and enact policy changes linked to the budget and fiscal matters.
In order to move forward with reconciliation, the House Budget Committee must pass a budget resolution that includes specific instructions for various committees under their jurisdiction. Conservatives are adamant that the final product be deficit-neutral, if not deficit-reducing, as promised by Speaker Johnson. However, there is a disagreement over the extent of the proposed spending cuts, with some members pushing for a steeper starting point in negotiations with the Senate.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the House Freedom Caucus, expressed skepticism that the proposed cuts would go beyond the stated “floors.” He suggested raising the starting point to $2 to $3 trillion to demonstrate seriousness about fiscal responsibility. Other Freedom Caucus members on the House Budget Committee share similar concerns about the level of spending cuts being proposed.
While the pursuit of deep spending cuts has been criticized by Democrats as potentially gutting Social Security and Medicare, GOP leaders have denied targeting these benefits. There is a delicate balance between achieving significant spending cuts and avoiding backlash from constituents who rely on the programs that may face funding reductions.
Despite the challenges, Speaker Johnson remains optimistic about passing a reconciliation bill by May. He emphasized the importance of finding savings while extending Trump-era tax cuts without blowing a hole in the deficit. Negotiations are ongoing to determine the final shape of the reconciliation bill, with a goal of passing an initial House version by the end of February.
In conclusion, the House Republicans’ plan for a conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process faces obstacles as disagreements over spending cuts threaten to delay progress. Finding a balance between achieving significant cuts and avoiding backlash from constituents will be crucial in moving forward with the reconciliation bill.
