Newssites.org
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Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a plea to House Republicans during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning to support his debt ceiling plan, telling them that while it may not include everything they want , will help bring him to the negotiating table with the president. Joe Biden.
McCarthy also told members that once it’s on the table, he may push other policy provisions in the future, according to multiple sources on the floor, underscoring the idea that leadership sees the GOP-only plan as a pure way to strengthen the his hand at the negotiation table.
House Republicans are projecting confidence that they will be able to unite the conference behind a plan and move quickly to pass it. But this is far from true. Key details of the plan are still to be finalized and some members are expressing frustration with the proposal as it stands, and elements that have not been included.
House Rules Chairman Tom Cole told Newssites.org the GOP debt limit bill will be on the House floor next week, but other House Republicans have expressed skepticism about whether the details of the proposal in time for an early vote and the deadline. can slip
House Republicans insist that any increase in the debt limit must be combined with spending cuts, while the White House argues that the limit must be raised without any conditions. McCarthy wants to move a debt limit bill to the House as a way to pressure the White House to come to the table for negotiation, even if the bill fails to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The closed-door meeting begins a difficult push by Republican leaders to wrangle 218 votes for a proposal to raise the debt ceiling and cut federal spending. McCarthy told members his proposal, which includes bringing back unspent Covid-19 funds, 10-year limits on spending, banning Biden’s student loan forgiveness and enacting a GOP energy bill.
Conservatives are pushing for more to be included, while some have said they will not support raising the debt ceiling under any circumstances, illustrating how challenging it will be for GOP leaders to unite the conference behind a proposal
GOP Rep. Scott Perry, the chairman of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, expressed frustration with House Republican leaders’ lack of specificity about their debt ceiling and spending cuts plan.
“I don’t know what’s in the package completely, that’s the problem,” Perry told reporters. “I know what was on the screen, but I don’t think it’s the whole package.”
Perry also said he disagreed with the GOP leadership’s approach of trying to pass something now to get to the negotiating table with Democrats and then demand more. Perry was one of several members who stood up during the closed-door conference meeting and advocated for additional cuts.
Rep. Kevin Hern, leader of the Republican Study Committee, told Newssites.org that Republicans must come together on a debt ceiling plan or face a much weaker hand in any future negotiations with the House White.
“It’s about leadership. If we can’t lead, we have a problem,” Hern said.
Hern said he had no problem with voting as early as next week, arguing it’s time for Republicans to come together.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon said one of the things they’re still debating is how — and for how long — the debt ceiling should be raised, and whether they should raise it by a dollar or up to a date Some members are pushing for a shorter increase, but Bacon said it will likely take place next year.
He also confirmed that some members are still pushing to include more spending cuts and repeals, and some lawmakers defended it during the meeting, but Bacon predicted that the 18 Republicans in Biden’s districts, like himself, will be in favor.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said conference talks on the debt ceiling were “getting closer” but there are still details that need to be addressed. He said he’s not sure a vote on the budget deal could come as soon as next week.
“I think a lot of it depends on how those discussions play out today, tomorrow, the day after that,” he said. “I think there are a number of really critical details that we still need to work out before we make a final decision on a vote, but it’s been a very productive discussion, a lot of good ideas,” although he said he would be “very surprised” if the text of the bill were published today.
A source on the floor tells Newssites.org that inside the House GOP conference, members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Reps. Perry, Chip Roy and Andrew Clyde, called for more cuts to be included and drive leadership as to why some provisions were not included.
It shows how difficult it will be for the leaders even as the leadership has presented it as an opportunity to consolidate power with the White House.
One of the topics discussed during the GOP conference meeting was why some items were not included in the debt ceiling framework.
For example, conservatives have been frustrated that a measure that would allow the recovery of funds from the Internal Revenue Service was not included. But a source in the room tells Newssites.org the reason it’s not included is because the Congressional Budget Office would call it expensive and without enforcement money, the CBO would argue less tax revenue would be collected.
Republicans are trying to raise as much revenue as they can and cut spending in this bill.