GOP Leaders Consider a Major Debt and Funding Agreement with Democrats
The proposal would encompass a deal that links government funding, border security funds, disaster relief, and an increase in the debt ceiling.
TroibNews 
House and Senate GOP leaders are engaged in internal discussions about a potential bipartisan agreement with Democrats that could encompass government funding, aid for California wildfires, a hike in the debt limit, and funding for border security, as reported by two Republicans with direct knowledge of the ongoing negotiations.
For weeks, senior Republicans have been quietly considering a government funding deal, concerned that internal divisions within the party might prevent them from including a debt-limit increase in their reconciliation package. Recently, talks around this larger deal have intensified as GOP leaders seek a way to raise the debt ceiling while simultaneously pushing forward a substantial party-line reconciliation bill and avoiding a government shutdown scheduled for March 15.
The strategy remains in flux. Senate Majority Leader John Thune mentioned on Wednesday that he is open to the idea of linking all these components into a comprehensive package, although several options are still under consideration. “I’m interested in getting a result on all of the above but how we do that is still an open question,” he stated.
However, there are significant challenges ahead. Republicans must persuade Democrats to agree to an increase in border funding, and they might also face opposition from House GOP hard-liners unless steep spending cuts are included, which could endanger Democratic support and heighten the risk of a shutdown. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in connecting wildfire aid to the longer-term debt ceiling increase he seeks.
House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole and Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins convened on Wednesday to negotiate a top-line funding amount to present to Democrats, hoping this number will facilitate a larger funding package in the near future. They are close to reaching an agreement on this figure.
As anticipated, conservative hardliners, such as Rep. Chip Roy, have voiced their opposition to the proposed package unless spending cuts are incorporated. Roy warned in a recent interview that he would only support the option if it included provisions to offset disaster relief spending.
The idea of linking border security, debt relief, and disaster aid to government funding is not the only proposal being considered by leadership in recent weeks, and some of these ideas have been retracted. Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested tying the debt ceiling to recovery funds for the California wildfires. Thune previously hinted that the debt ceiling would likely not be included in the GOP’s border and energy bill currently being developed by Senate Republicans, indicating that they may opt to exclude it from their reconciliation effort.
Johnson, Thune, and their leadership teams met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss the approaching government funding deadline and the potential linkage of disaster funding and the debt ceiling.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
For weeks, senior Republicans have been quietly considering a government funding deal, concerned that internal divisions within the party might prevent them from including a debt-limit increase in their reconciliation package. Recently, talks around this larger deal have intensified as GOP leaders seek a way to raise the debt ceiling while simultaneously pushing forward a substantial party-line reconciliation bill and avoiding a government shutdown scheduled for March 15.
The strategy remains in flux. Senate Majority Leader John Thune mentioned on Wednesday that he is open to the idea of linking all these components into a comprehensive package, although several options are still under consideration. “I’m interested in getting a result on all of the above but how we do that is still an open question,” he stated.
However, there are significant challenges ahead. Republicans must persuade Democrats to agree to an increase in border funding, and they might also face opposition from House GOP hard-liners unless steep spending cuts are included, which could endanger Democratic support and heighten the risk of a shutdown. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in connecting wildfire aid to the longer-term debt ceiling increase he seeks.
House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole and Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins convened on Wednesday to negotiate a top-line funding amount to present to Democrats, hoping this number will facilitate a larger funding package in the near future. They are close to reaching an agreement on this figure.
As anticipated, conservative hardliners, such as Rep. Chip Roy, have voiced their opposition to the proposed package unless spending cuts are incorporated. Roy warned in a recent interview that he would only support the option if it included provisions to offset disaster relief spending.
The idea of linking border security, debt relief, and disaster aid to government funding is not the only proposal being considered by leadership in recent weeks, and some of these ideas have been retracted. Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested tying the debt ceiling to recovery funds for the California wildfires. Thune previously hinted that the debt ceiling would likely not be included in the GOP’s border and energy bill currently being developed by Senate Republicans, indicating that they may opt to exclude it from their reconciliation effort.
Johnson, Thune, and their leadership teams met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss the approaching government funding deadline and the potential linkage of disaster funding and the debt ceiling.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
