Speaker Mike Johnson is facing hurdles in the congressional GOP’s efforts to reconcile the budget. His plan to pass a budget resolution through committee this week which is essential for advancing President Trump’s domestic priorities might be delayed due to internal Republican disagreements.

Republican leaders on the Budget Committee including Chair Arrington and committee member Chip are in conflict with Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith and other senior Republicans about how to proceed. The budget conservatives are pushing for deep contentious spending cuts and are seeking to impose strict limits on how much the reconciliation bill can increase the deficit. This could hinder Smith’s ambitions for a major tax overhaul.

A figure of around $4.7 trillion was tentatively agreed upon last week but this could prevent any substantial reforms beyond renewing existing tax cuts. Johnson speaking on Fox News Sunday confirmed that the House Budget Committee is still expected to address the bill this week but left some flexibility noting We might push it a little bit further because the details really matter.

Meanwhile in the Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham has already introduced a budget resolution marking significant progress for Senate Republicans who are pursuing a two pronged approach. The first proposal focuses on issues like border security energy and defense, while the second will delve into more complex tax reforms. The Senate Budget Committee plans to meet over two days this week with a vote scheduled for Thursday.

Both House and Senate leaders are eager to get Trump’s approval for their respective plans. The weekend saw a new round of talks taking place in Trump’s Super Bowl suite where guests included Johnson Majority Whip Tom Emmer from the House and Graham and Senate Majority Whip John from the Senate.

Johnson acknowledged Graham’s faster progress but noted the difference in their responsibilities stating I have about 170 additional personalities to deal with and he’s only got 53.

Nominations: The Senate will vote to end debate on Gabbard’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence on Monday evening. The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services is also expected to come up later this week.
CRA Expansion: The House Rules Committee will be advancing a bill on Monday that would make it easier for lawmakers to roll back federal regulations using the Congressional Review Act. This would allow for bundling multiple resolutions together instead of voting on each one individually.
Spending Drama: Senator Andy Kim has suggested that Democrats might not assist Republicans in passing a short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown scheduled for March 14. Funding negotiations became tense last week and with the deadline fast approaching, further developments are expected.