House Republicans’ outline for their partisan spending package cleared its first hurdle Thursday, but complaints about a lack of contributions from energy and environment committees may complicate the effort.
The House Budget Committee advanced its budget resolution along party lines, even as GOP fiscal hawks expressed frustration about the absence of pay-fors to offset the proposed $95 billion in new spending on defense, farm aid and election security.
House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), who had been preparing for his committee to play a role in the reconciliation push, said in a brief interview that he now sees an opportunity to fight for the panel to get involved.
“I think we need to offset the spending,” said Westerman, who had previously told POLITICO that “energy is where the big pay-fors are.”
