House Speaker Mike Johnson said one of President Trump’s top priorities, increasing the debt limit, will now be part of budget negotiations, a move that debt hawks love because it means Republican leaders won’t cut a deal with Democrats.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, and the House GOP have struggled to build consensus around the nuts and bolts of a budget resolution, the key first step in pushing through Mr. Trump’s agenda.
The speaker told reporters Friday that he expected the details of a final budget blueprint to be unveiled “probably closer to Monday,” but added a new wrinkle when pressed on whether instructions to increase the debt ceiling, which he previously took off the table, would be included.
“I think that probably will be part of it, yes,” Mr. Johnson said.
His comments come on the heels of a pair of marathon meetings Thursday with a cross-section of Republicans, first at the White House and then in his office on Capitol Hill, to iron out the details of the plan.
House Republicans are under pressure to finalize their plan as Senate Republicans threaten to take matters into their own hands.
SEE ALSO: Speaker Johnson slams Democrats as ‘unresponsive’ in funding talks
Senate Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, rolled out an alternative budget resolution on Friday that tees up legislation for border, defense and energy priorities but excludes a tax code overhaul and broader spending cuts House Republicans want to cram into one giant bill. Mr. Graham’s budget does not include instructions to increase the debt limit.
His committee plans to mark up the resolution next week.
Previously, Mr. Johnson said he wanted the debt limit to be part of the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process because it would allow Republicans to avoid working with Democrats, which members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus largely supported. Then, he wanted to take it out of the mix out of concern that he may not have the votes to move the broader package if it were included.
The possibility of bringing back the debt ceiling increase was a welcome development for lawmakers in the Freedom Caucus, whose members late last year agreed to consider the move as long as it were paired with steep spending cuts.
Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, Maryland Republican, said if Mr. Trump wanted the debt ceiling raised, lawmakers in the caucus would support it.
But Freedom Caucus member Rep. Tom Tiffany was more succinct.
“It’s better if we control it,” the Wisconsin Republican told The Washington Times.
Rep. Chip Roy, a Freedom Caucus member and fixture in the closed-door budget negotiations, said the debt limit “certainly should be” included in the budget process, on the stipulation that it is paired with spending cuts.
Republicans have been discussing at least $1 trillion in cuts, a massive increase from GOP leaders’ opening bid of $300 billion, but lawmakers on Friday were mum about their latest figures.
“We want a certain level of cuts that we believe will drive all of this as a package to deficit reduction,” Mr. Roy said. “We believe that we’re getting into the right ZIP code.”
Mr. Johnson and his leadership team must produce a final product or get jammed by the Senate. The main holdup was just how deficit-conscious Republicans have become, said House Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore, Utah Republican.
At the heart of many of the disagreements that have threatened to upend negotiations are how certain policy and spending changes, such as sweeping tax cuts or increasing the cap on the state and local tax, or SALT, deduction, would affect deficit spending.
Mr. Moore said it is better that Republicans are focused on the deficit than on something else.
“That’s what’s creating some tension,” Mr. Moore said. “And shouldn’t that be exactly why there’s some tension right now?”
• Lindsey McPherson contributed to this story.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.