House Republicans’ budget blueprint will likely survive its first hurdle after GOP leaders agreed to a change driven by debt hawks that will incentivize Republicans to shoot for deeper spending cuts.

Debt hawks in the House Freedom Caucus were largely unhappy with House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington’s budget resolution setting the floor for spending cuts at $1.5 trillion. The congressmen argued they need deeper cuts to offset trillions that would be added to the deficit from sweeping tax cuts.

The blueprint is a key first step in Republicans’ quest to pass President Trump’s agenda, and so far the House has struggled to leave the starting line.

Whether lawmakers on the House Budget Committee, which includes a handful of hardliners and debt hawks, could advance the plan remained up in the air. But the agreement to an amendment that pursues deeper spending cuts may be enough to move the blueprint out of committee. Democrats are expected to vote against the blueprint, meaning passage of the plan will likely fall on a party-line vote.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, Maryland Republican, said Republican leadership agreed to an amendment to the budget resolution that committees “shall” collectively seek at least $2 trillion in spending cuts, changing the language from being aspirational to more concrete.

While the technical spending cut floor in the resolution would remain at $1.5 trillion, the new language incentivizes lawmakers to meet the higher benchmark.

If committees cut more than $2 trillion, tax writers can go further with tax cuts. If they fall short of that line, the Ways and Means Committee’s ceiling for tax cuts also falls.

Hitting $2 trillion exactly would leave the Ways and Means Committee’s $4.5 trillion net cost ceiling for sweeping tax cuts untouched.

“We want to make it deficit-neutral,” Mr. Harris said. “We think that with our amendment, it ensures deficit neutrality, and that’s all we care about. Where they go for those cuts, that’s up to the committees.”

Mr. Arrington, Texas Republican, described the amendment as a way to better “enforce” the agreement on spending cuts, adding that it lets him better adjust the dials on spending cuts and tax cuts.

“For every action, there’s an equal reaction,” he said.

Rep. Ralph Norman, South Carolina Republican and Budget Committee member, said he would support the budget plan with the addition of the amendment, while Rep. Chip Roy, who also sits on the panel, gave the blueprint a glowing review during his opening remarks during the committee hearing.

Mr. Roy, Texas Republican, who has been one of the most vocal proponents of deeper spending cuts, called Mr. Arrington’s plan “a giant step forward to reduce spending.”

“I am proud of what the chairman has put forward. I believe that it is responsible and I believe that it is a balance of what we’re supposed to do,” he said.

The hardliners’ amendment will likely be one of many offered during the Budget Committee hearing. Lawmakers expect up to 40 amendments, many of which will come from Democrats looking to protect Medicaid and other programs from the cutting room floor.

• Lindsey McPherson contributed to this story.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.