The House Freedom Caucus is pushing against Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to pass major GOP priorities.
The ultra-conservative group made their preference for a two-step reconciliation plan official on Thursday, releasing a proposal that calls for an initial bill that would reverse Biden administration policies, fund border security and raise the debt ceiling for two years. The Freedom Caucus noted that this plan leaves room for a second reconciliation package with tax cuts, though it didn’t detail what conservatives want that legislation to look like.
“Our proposal is a Republican plan that we believe can reach 218 votes, that would also allow us to keep the ball on the Republican side of the negotiating field for defense and non-defense appropriations — while delivering wins and uniting the conference,” the House Freedom Caucus wrote in a statement.
The group did note they were willing to work with GOP colleagues on one bill.
The position runs contrary to Johnson’s stated preferences in a few ways — he has indicated he wants to deal with the debt limit in a bipartisan way, rather than putting it in a reconciliation bill, and that he wants to deal with the border, energy and taxes all in one package. Top tax writers in Congress are afraid if tax cuts slip to a second bill, they won’t end up happening.
But Johnson needs the Freedom Caucus, which includes more than 30 members, to pass any partisan legislation through the House. Official positions like this proposal have to have the backing of at least 80 percent of the caucus. Plus, some conservatives in the group have signaled they might try to oust Johnson if he compromises too much with Democrats.
More specifics: “Phase one” of the Freedom Caucus’ proposal includes a two-year increase in the debt limit, $200 billion to $300 billion over four years for national security funding, including border security, and at least $361 billion to $541 billion in spending cuts to Biden policies over ten years. Those would include reversing Biden policies on electric vehicles, student loan forgiveness, Medicaid and SNAP.
