Top Republican budget writers said Wednesday they expect Congress to meet an April 15 deadline for approval of a fiscal 2016 spending plan.
Senate Budget Chairman Mike Enzi of Wyoming and House Budget Chairman Tom Price of Georgia said their panels are prepared to begin processing separate budget resolutions by mid-March. Floor debate would begin about a week later in each chamber, followed by conference committee to negotiate a compromise budget plan. That consensus blueprint would require a final vote in the House and Senate.
Enzi and Price have been meeting weekly, hoping to minimize differences between their budgets and pave the way for a smooth conference committee and an on-time final passage.
“The reason the April 15 deadline is important, is the budget sets up the enforcement and the allocations for the [appropriations] committees, and they’re supposed to start April 15,” Enzi told reporters. “If they do start April 15, we should be able to do those all separately and be able to have some detailed debate on how the money’s spent and not do an omnibus bill at the end of the year under all kinds of pressure.”
The budget resolution is not subject to a filibuster and does not go to President Obama’s desk. It sets broad spending levels for government departments and policies, leaving the specifics to the House and Senate appropriations committees. The appropriations bills will require supermajority support in the Senate and sign-off by the White House.
Congressional Republicans have had some trouble agreeing on major issues, but factors unique to the budget process could help foster unity.
The “reconciliation” tool allows the Senate to approve policies that relate to taxes and spending that would normally be subject to a filibuster with a simple majority vote. However, reconciliation is only available to use with a budget resolution that clears both chambers of Congress. Senate Democrats used the procedure in 2010 to sidestep a GOP filibuster and pass the Affordable Care Act. For House and Senate Republicans who have been frustrated by Democratic filibusters this year, the prospect of passing a budget and using reconciliation to fight Obamacare could help generate an agreement.
Enzi confirmed that the Senate budget would include reconciliation instructions, but declined to elaborate. GOP sources monitoring the process expect the tactic to be used to clear legislation that would gut Obamacare; the bill would assuredly trigger a veto by the president. Price dismissed suggestions that House Republicans, who have been particularly beset by infighting among insurgents and pragmatists, might have trouble joining hands on a budget.
“We’re right on track,” he said.
