Rep. Paul Ryan, on the cusp of ascending to the House speaker’s job, said Wednesday he’ll support the new budget deal that boosts spending and grants a 17-month debt holiday because it’s the only way to “wipe the slate clean” and give him a clean start.
The Wisconsin Republican has taken pains to criticize the deal and the way it was reached, in a nod to conservative discontent with their leaders’ decision to bust the 2011 budget “sequesters” that have helped restrain spending over the last few years.
But Mr. Ryan, in a statement, said there aren’t any other good options at this point, so he’ll vote for it.
“What I’ve heard from members over the last two weeks is a desire to wipe the slate clean, put in place a process that builds trust, and start focusing on big ideas,” he said. “What has been produced will go a long way toward relieving the uncertainty hanging over us, and that’s why I intend to support it. It’s time for us to turn the page on the last few years and get to work on a bold agenda that we can take to the American people.”
He said the agreement has “some good, some bad, and some ugly” parts.
The deal increases government spending by $50 billion in 2016 and $30 billion in 2017, with cuts or other savings coming toward the end of the decade.
It also grants what’s likely to be a $1 trillion debt increase to President Obama, and includes some changes to Social Security’s disability system that will make it somewhat tougher to perpetrate fraud.
Democrats are generally more pleased with the deal than Republicans.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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