House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is proposing a bipartisan commission to outline future budget cuts in hopes of mollifying hardline conservatives opposed to his debt limit deal.
Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, said the commission would be formed after the deal passes Congress. It would include individuals nominated by himself and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat.
“After today, I’m going to put a commission together to look at the entire budget. This debt is too large,” said the speaker. “We can be very serious about looking long term to solve this problem.”
The announcement comes as hardline members of the House Freedom Caucus are in revolt over the bipartisan debt limit Mr. McCarthy struck with President Biden.
The agreement would raise the $31.4 trillion debt limit until after the 2024 presidential election, claw back billions of dollars in unspent pandemic relief and cut IRS funding.
Domestic spending would be flat for the upcoming fiscal year. Defense spending is set to grow by more than $26 billion. After this year, the growth of federal spending would be capped at 1% through 2025.
SEE ALSO: Freedom Caucus threatens ouster as McCarthy rushes forward with debt limit vote
Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Biden have further agreed to streamline the federal permitting process for new energy projects. The deal includes a pay-as-you-go provision requiring Mr. Biden to offset any rules or regulations that increase federal spending.
The agreement would expand work requirements for recipients of food stamps and direct cash payments. Able-bodied, childless recipients of each program 54 and younger would have to work at least 20 hours per week to keep their benefits. The work requirements would expire in 2030.
“We made good policies in here,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Work requirements will change people’s lives.”
The agreement represents a compromise for Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Biden. House Republicans initially sought a $130 billion cut to nondefense spending this year and a decade’s worth of spending caps.
Mr. McCarthy had sought to cancel Mr. Biden’s student loan forgiveness program and rescind more than $200 billion in green energy tax credits that Democrats passed last year. Both demands were sidelined amid opposition from the White House.
Members of the Freedom Caucus say the agreement amounts to a betrayal by Mr. McCarthy.
“Our base didn’t volunteer, door knock and fight so hard to get us the majority for this kind of compromise deal with Joe Biden,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican. “Our voters deserve better than this.”
• Haris Alic can be reached at halic@washingtontimes.com.
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