Washington – Republican moderates and conservatives are at odds over the House’s $2.8 trillion budget proposal, throwing passage of the spending plan into doubt this week as fiscal policy continues to vex congressional Republicans.
Both blocs have presented their demands to the House leadership, putting pressure on Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the new majority leader, as Republicans try to stave off an embarrassing election-year budget defeat that would complicate their push to pass the annual spending bills.
“We have 232 Republicans in the House, and trying to come to a position on the budget is always difficult,” said Boehner, who has been actively seeking a resolution acceptable to both factions.
But it may be more difficult than usual this year. Conservatives, who are convinced that Republican voters want the party to get serious about fiscal restraint, are balking at talk of exceeding the spending cap and want to put new budget rules in place to lower future spending. Moderates, who say social programs have been shortchanged and who worry about races in swing districts, want at least $7 billion in extra spending.
Given the likelihood that no Democrats will help, as well as the relatively thin Republican majority, the leaders cannot afford to lose many conservatives or moderates if they hope to prevail.
“They can’t give up any group of 15 on either side,” said Rep. Mike Castle, a moderate Republican leader from Delaware.
Castle and almost two dozen other Republicans say they want a 2 percent increase in health, education and social spending. That would be in line with the program approved by Senate Republicans, who broke President Bush’s recommended $873 billion spending ceiling on discretionary programs in approving their own plan.
Moderates say those programs have faced stagnant spending while increases have gone to domestic security and the Pentagon.
“I believe that the current budget proposal does not accommodate really crucial city safety net needs, education needs and health care needs,” said Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn. “I have tried as clearly as I possibly could to lay out my concerns, which frankly are shared by a significant number in the caucus. This is not a little matter.”
House conservatives would like substantially less spending. But they have indicated they are willing to accept the $873 billion for programs under congressional control as long as they receive some promises on new budget rules.
“I think no budget is better than a budget that sends the wrong message to the American people about our commitment to fiscal discipline,” said Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, leader of the Republican Study Committee.