President Trump is lobbying House Republicans to support a budget resolution needed to unlock the filibuster-proof reconciliation process that could help pass pieces of his priority election integrity legislation.
The measure is in danger of failing because some Republicans disapprove of the plan, so Mr. Trump took to social media on Monday urging his party to fall in line.
“I am asking all House Republicans to VOTE YES this week on the Budget Resolution, which is an important first step towards getting a Budget Bill,” he wrote. “House Republicans must UNIFY, and fight for THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!”
The House is aiming to adopt the budget resolution this week before departing for a monthlong summer recess.
The measure instructs four committees to craft a budget reconciliation bill containing up to $95 billion in new spending.
The money is intended to pay for restocking munitions used in the Iran war and other defense measures, economic assistance to farmers and implementation of election requirements for voters to provide proof of citizenship to register and photo ID to cast a ballot.
Several Republicans are upset that the budget does not call for the $95 billion in spending to be offset, with some threatening to vote against it.
Republican Reps. Eric Burlison of Missouri and Warren Davidson of Ohio told The Washington Times on Monday they are currently planning to vote against the budget over the lack of offsets. Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, is voting no because of his opposition to funding the Iran war.
That is more than the two defections GOP leaders can afford amid unified opposition from Democrats.
Rep. Chip Roy, Texas Republican, said he is undecided and that more conversations need to be had about the Senate prospects for the reconciliation bill given opposition there.
“There’s a lot of rolling of the dice right now with a unpaid for bill, with other concerns in it, that you’re attaching SAVE to to hope you get it back from the Senate,” he said.
Rep. Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia Republican, said he voted to advance the budget out of committee on Thursday with the understanding that Republicans “will continue to work toward full offsets in the final bill by adding provisions to tackle waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Republicans are also watching to see how the election integrity legislation is rewritten to fit within the Senate’s budget reconciliation rules that make the bill exempt from a filibuster.
Mr. Trump said he wants as much of the SAVE America Act as possible, which “hopefully” would include a ban on mail-in ballots except for active-duty military and people who are ill, disabled or traveling.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has suggested there is not enough support in his conference to pass the mail-in ballot ban, but did not completely rule it out when The Times asked him Monday about the president’s push.
“The mail-in balloting thing is the most complicated because some a lot of states use it and many of them use it effectively,” the speaker said. “So we’ll see what happens.”
The decisions on what pieces of the SAVE America Act make it into the bill will likely not be made until after the budget resolution is adopted. But GOP leaders may need to make some promises to win over conservatives who are worried that the end product will be a watered-down version.
“I’m not prepared to talk about SAVE America Act light,” said Rep. Keith Self, Texas Republican.
However, Mr. Self said he is likely to support the budget resolution “just to get [the process] moving.”
