Morning Roundup: "House Republicans Struggle" Edition
A look at recent headlines show Republican leaders continue to struggle with unifying their conference around a budget resolution for fiscal year 2017. With each passing day, the prospects of the GOP passing a budget and completing the appropriations process seem to lessen:
Washington Post: House Republicans struggle to end budget standoff
“House Republicans are stuck at another impasse on the budget as GOP leaders struggle to persuade hardline conservatives to back down on threats to kill any plan that does not cut spending.”
“Republican leaders began the year with high hopes that rank-and-file members, motivated by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s (R-Wisc.) promise to allow votes on all 12 regular appropriations bills for the first time in years, would fall in line behind a GOP budget that includes $30 billion in new spending that was agreed to last year by Republican and Democratic leaders. Instead leaders find themselves in another standoff with anti-establishment conservatives who are unwilling to budge, frustrating Republicans who hoped to spend the year proving that the House GOP is capable of handling the basic responsibilities of governance without rancor and drama.”
Roll Call: Chances for House Budget Fading as Positions Harden
“House Republicans’ positions on the budget seem to be hardening, not softening, increasing the likelihood that they may not be able to produce a budget that 218 members can support.”
“Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., and GOP leadership continued talks with members from various factions of the Republican conference this week, but the negotiations have barely moved the needle.”
“Price is ‘doing a yeoman’s job to try to find that sweet spot,’ said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. But that sweet spot could be elusive, he acknowledged. ‘A number of us don’t want to go there, but with each day that passes, the idea of not passing a budget becomes more real.’”
The Hill: House conservative leaders want to break spending deal
“Leaders of the conservative Republican Study Committee voted Thursday to oppose last year's spending bill, throwing the House GOP's budget plans into turmoil.”
“This is the first time many House Republicans are drawing a line in the sand on this year’s budget process. Until now, most rank-and-file members have held their fire as Price and the Budget Committee have offered options on how to keep the spending levels intact. The opposition from the Republican Study Committee severely compromises the GOP’s efforts to pass a joint budget resolution, which would allow them to begin the appropriations process and achieve what Ryan calls ‘regular order.’”
Politico: Top House conservatives call to abandon 2015 budget deal
“The leadership of the Republican Study Committee privately decided Thursday they would push top House lawmakers to abandon the 2015 budget deal and push for steep cuts, the group's chairman wrote in an email to colleagues. The decision by the prominent conservative caucus casts serious doubt on whether the House will be able to pass a 2017 budget.”