Trump increases pressure on House GOP to adopt the Senate-passed budget plan

President Trump is upping the pressure on congressional Republicans to fall in line behind the Senate-passed budget plan that has the House’s fiscal hawks fuming.

Mr. Trump began putting his political weight behind the changes the Senate made to the budget blueprint before it passed the upper chamber on Saturday. And he’s expected to ramp up the pressure on House Republicans as they prepare to vote on it as soon as this week.

The president has his work cut out for him.

“I’m not certain this legislation will fly in the House the way it is coming out of the Senate,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman, Indiana Republican, told The Washington Times. 

He said the Senate’s plan “has its merits,” but more spending cuts are necessary to pass muster in the lower chamber.

Indeed, Rep. Andy Ogles called the plan “a joke.”

The Tennessee Republican said the Senate is not serious about slashing spending, and the $4 billion spending cut floor in their blueprint wasn’t enough to “buy a sports team.” 

“This is offensive, so I’m a hard ‘no’ on this junk,” Mr. Ogles said.

The spending cut floor in the House’s original budget blueprint is $1.5 trillion. Both chambers have goals of reaching at least $2 trillion in spending cuts.

Mr. Trump now must use every bit of political leverage he’s got to prevent his agenda of tax and spending cuts from derailing.

He already wooed Senate debt hawks to support the budget plan with commitments that he would help them find deep spending cuts later in the process. Senate Republicans have set a goal of achieving more than $2 trillion in savings, but they have said that total may include spending cuts from executive actions or rescissions made outside of the reconciliation bill.

Mr. Trump gave a full-throated endorsement of the Senate modifications during his “Liberation Day” tariff announcement Tuesday in the Rose Garden.

Then he made the case on social media:

“The Senate Plan has my Complete and Total Support. Likewise, the House is working along the same lines. Every Republican, House and Senate, must UNIFY,” he continued. “We need to pass it IMMEDIATELY!” 

Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham said it’s not all on Mr. Trump because lawmakers will “put the pressure on ourselves” to find spending cuts. 

“If you think President Trump’s going to sign a deal that cuts $4 billion, that’s a slap in his face,” he said.

The Senate’s strict reconciliation rules provide zero room for Senate committees to fall short of their targets, so Republicans opted for a low floor that provides maximum flexibility. 

“We’re not going to shoot ourselves in the foot,” Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, said. “We’re going to cut, I think, trillions of dollars in spending. But you got to get the resolution passed to start the process.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, plans to bring the Senate’s budget blueprint to the House floor this week, as he works to get the entire budget reconciliation process completed by Memorial Day.

“I can tell you, the Republicans in the House and Senate are completely united on this mission,” the speaker told Fox Business.

While Mr. Trump’s agenda is popular among congressional Republicans, getting the House’s hardline debt hawks to back the budget blueprint will be difficult. 

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican who previously served in the House, has acted as a liaison between the two chambers to help get House members on board with the Senate’s plan. 

He spoke with 25 to 30 House Republicans, particularly fiscal hawks, in the last week trying to bridge the “big distance” and “confusion” between the two chambers, he said.

“We’re working with the House,” Mr. Mullin said. “The president feels very confident that he can help with our House colleagues and friends over there. And I think they’re in a good place when they understand it.”