Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is shooting down suggestions of a rift within the body of House Republicans that could lead to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) losing control of the gavel over his debt ceiling negotiations.
The bill would specifically set annual discretionary spending at Fiscal Year 2022 levels and would regulate discretionary spending growth to 1 percent annually over the next decade. It would also rescind any unspent pandemic-era relief funds, prohibit executive actions Biden has taken to cancel student loans, and impose work requirements for some recipients of Medicaid and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP).
While the current Limit, Save, Grow Act is unlikely to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate, McCarthy is using the bill as a baseline for negotiating with the Biden administration, which has called for a “clean bill” to increase the debt limit without any additional conditions on spending.
Gaetz said he did not oppose the Republican Limit, Save, Grow Act because he would prefer a “clean” debt limit increase, but rather because he has “consistently voted against raising the debt ceiling” in the past.
Where Negotiations Stand
The negotiations are key as the United States is at its current $31.4 trillion debt limit and could default on a debt payment by June 1.“We’ve passed the bill. We have the ability to do this. You don’t have to worry because we have a bill over on the Senate side that they can pass that raises the debt ceiling,” McCarthy said. “We can get this job done now.”
While the Republican side is seeking new controls on discretionary spending, work requirements for welfare programs and a clawing back of pandemic-era spending, McCarthy said only two issues are non-negotiable: an unconditional debt limit increase and a tax increase.
Republican Mutiny?
Several news media outlets have reported the possibility that some of the most conservative House Republicans could seek to remove McCarthy if he offers a debt limit deal that’s too lenient to Biden and the Democrats. In January, as McCarthy was negotiating with members of his own party to support his speakership bid, he agreed to a rule that makes it easier to make a “motion to vacate” which would set up a vote to oust McCarthy from the speakership.On May 18, the staunchly conservative House Freedom Caucus called on McCarthy to halt debt limit negotiations until the Senate passes the Limit, Save, Grow Act.
The House Freedom Caucus statement did not reference invoking the “motion to vacate” to remove McCarthy if he were to water down the bill too much.
Following his interview with the Washington Examiner, Gaetz suggested this talk of removing McCarthy may be more of a media construct than a legitimate issue.
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, also pushed back on talk of removing McCarthy over a debt limit compromise.