Why Some Republicans Are Resisting Trump's Spending Cuts
Budget

Why Some Republicans Are Resisting Trump's Spending Cuts

Democrats have taken issue with President Trump’s proposed spending cuts, and some Republicans have serious concerns as well. “We never anticipated the kind of pushback we would have in our own conference on this rescissions package,” conservative Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) told Politico.

As a result, the Trump administration is looking to make tweaks t0 the $15 billion rescissions package in hopes of winning Republican votes, Politico reports: “The White House is already in talks about canceling cutbacks for a wastewater treatment program at the EPA, according to two Republicans familiar with the discussions. The administration might also scale back cuts for Ebola funding and disaster relief, the aides said.”

The EPA has told the White House it has plans to spend the money in the $10 million wastewater program targeted for cutting. And, despite CBO’s finding that the proposed $7 billion in CHIP clawbacks would not affect the program, the politics surrounding the proposal remain treacherous.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy had at one point said that the bill could get a vote this week, but it has been pushed back until after the Memorial Day recess as Republicans work to build support. If the legislation can pass the House, it would likely need just a simple majority to get through the Senate.

But a single Republican holdout would probably still be able to scuttle the package, and Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have already voiced concerns about it.

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