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House Republican leaders spent nearly five hours at the White House on Thursday – some of it with President Donald Trump – as they tried to finalize the outline of their tax and spending cut package.
The plan is to release a framework with some numbers in the coming days.
Fox is told to expect north of $1 trillion in spending cuts. The bill would make permanent the 2017 Trump tax cuts. It is also likely the bill includes a provision to bar taxes on tips.
House Republicans hoped to have a bill ready to go before the Budget Committee this week after their retreat at Mar-a-Lago.
But no dice.
Republicans hope to prep this bill before the House Budget Committee next week.
When asked if a plan would be unveiled Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News, ‘nothing today’ on paper or details of a budget package.
‘There won’t be any details announced until the end of the weekend. Possibly not until Monday,’ he said.
He said the committee markup may come Tuesday, but that there are a couple of details to ‘work out.’
When asked about including the debt ceiling in the bill, Johnson replied, ‘I think that probably will be part of it, yes.’
Asked if Democrats walked away from talks to avert a March government shutdown, he replied, ‘It seems that way. From their comments, Leader [Hakeem] Jeffries seemed to be trying to set up some sort of a government shutdown. We have been negotiating in good faith, trying to get a topline number. But so far as I know, they’ve been unresponsive the past two days or so.’
Republicans need a budget framework adopted on the floor so they can use the budget reconciliation tool to bypass a Senate filibuster. No budget? No reconciliation option.
House GOPers are feeling pressure from Senate Republicans who are pressing ahead with their own plan. Senate Republicans dine at Mar-a-Lago tonight with President Trump.
House Republicans are worried if they stumble at moving first, they could get jammed by the Senate.