House Freedom Caucus bypasses Speaker Johnson on budget plan


House Freedom Caucus defies Speaker Johnson and releases own budget resolution

The Freedom Caucus sidestepped House GOP leadership and released its own budget resolution on Monday as Republicans continue to argue over the best path forward for reconciliation.

The “Emergency Border Control Resolution” follows the hardline conservatives’ two-step budget reconciliation approach, which is also favored by many Senate Republicans. The resolution would provide $200 billion in new funding for military, defense, and border security, as well as $486.3 billion in spending cuts that would result in $286 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years.

The resolution comes as House Republican leadership is stalled on how to proceed with reconciliation, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and top leaders pushing for a one-bill approach. The Freedom Caucus has argued a two-bill approach allows the conference to put wins up on the board and then take a serious look at tax cuts, which expire at the end of the year.

The caucus said the resolution is “in-line” with the two-step resolution plan put forward by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) last week, whom Johnson has asked to stand down so the House can take point on reconciliation.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) fis… by web-producers

“Given the current delay in the House on moving a comprehensive reconciliation bill, moving a smaller targeted bill now makes the most sense to deliver a win for the President and the American people,” Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) said in a statement. “I am proud to introduce the Emergency Border Control Resolution today to set the reconciliation process in motion in the House.”

Hardliners left the GOP annual retreat in Doral, Florida, disappointed after the promised “blueprint” for reconciliation never hit their desks. Then, the planned markup for a budget resolution last week was canceled.

Johnson told reporters on Friday that they hoped to iron out details over the weekend, shooting for Tuesday as a budget reconciliation markup. But that, too, is looking to be a lofty goal, especially if Republicans are looking to stick to an ambitious deadline to pass a resolution through the House and Senate by Feb. 24.

Prior to the retreat, the Freedom Caucus released its “218 Plan” for reconciliation, which it believed would get 218 Republican votes to pass the House chamber. Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) have argued the topline for reconciliation should be between $2 and $2.5 trillion.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) aimed to find at least $1 trillion in cuts. Scalise has warned they should not overshoot the topline because the process requires members to hit at least the number on the resolution for it to stay valid.

The Freedom Caucus’s resolution also calls for raising the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. This comes after House Republicans had to drop a spending deal that suspended the debt ceiling for two years after deficit hawks pushed back and shot it down.


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