On the homepage, Bob Costa and I share our takeaways from this week’s House Republican retreat in Williamsburg, Va., where lawmakers planned their strategy for the upcoming budget debates.
The GOP’s first move will be to approve a three-month debt-limit extension, along with a measure to withhold pay for senators, should the upper chamber fail to pass a budget in that time. Republicans believe this will give them greater leverage in budget negotiations by taking the immediate threat of default off the table, and put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) to explain why he refuses to pass a budget, something the Senate hasn’t done in more than three years. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) said the House will hold a vote on the plan sometime next week.
The idea, which originated in a working group that included Republicans Paul Ryan (Wis.), Tom Price (Ga..), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Steve Scalise (La.), and Jeb Hensarling (Texas), enjoys broad support from House conservatives.
One GOP aide tells us it would be surprising if “even one or two” Republicans vote against the measure.