Budget gamble

GOP leaders gamble with budget vote

Paul Ryan has yet to strike a deal with lawmakers threatening to sink the budget — which would be a huge blow to Republicans’ tax push.

By RACHAEL BADE

Speaker Paul Ryan and his top lieutenants are betting that Republicans are so jazzed about tax reform that they’ll back a fiscal blueprint many despise.

It's a risk for House GOP leaders, who will put the Senate budget on the House floor Thursday morning despite mounting concerns from various factions of the GOP conference.

The latest hurdle? A band of Republicans from high-tax states are vowing to vote “no” on the budget unless GOP leaders scrap plans to curb the state and local tax deduction currently in the GOP's tax proposal.

Ringleaders Rep. Peter King of New York and Tom MacArthur of New Jersey have suggested they have enough support to block the budget from passing altogether, which would deal a devastating blow to the GOP's tax push.

But GOP leaders seem confident enough to head to the floor without a striking deal beforehand.

Leadership had originally sought to come up with an agreement on the nearly $1.3 trillion tax break before the Thursday vote — particularly after a host of allies like Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) said they would need to resolve the issue before backing the budget.

But leadership suddenly postponed a negotiation session on the matter late Wednesday night, perhaps in a sign that they already have the votes for a budget. They’re hoping a promise to find a middle ground for high-tax members in the coming days will be enough for the rank-and-file to back the budget without a specific accord in place.

It won’t likely work for everyone.

“I am voting NO,” Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) tweeted Wednesday night.

He was responding to a constituent asking him to oppose the budget and “a tax plan that favors the wealthy.”

Republicans can only lose 22 votes on the budget, which is needed to unlock fast-tracking procedural powers that will allow a tax bill to evade Democratic filibusters in the Senate.

Earlier this month, 19 Republicans voted against the House budget. But some of those members opposed the House plan because of steep cuts to mandatory programs. Since the Senate stripped those reductions out, some of those lawmakers may back the budget this go-round, giving leaders more wiggle room.