House Republican moderate opposition to the House GOP fiscal 1999 budget resolution may have solidified this past week, as some moderates are ready to support an effort by conservative Democrats to pass the Senate budget plan as an alternative, a key House Republican said today.
"I don't know of [any opponents] coming back and saying they're ready to support" the plan of Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio, Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware, a key member of the Tuesday Group of GOP moderates, told CongressDaily today. Castle said some moderates who oppose the $100 billion in cuts may have become more determined to vote against it after spending a week in their districts.
Told that House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said he believes the Kasich budget will pass the House this week, Castle said, "I'm not as confident as he is." Moderate Republicans have estimated they have as many as 40 votes to oppose the Kasich plan.
In addition, Castle said, some moderate Republicans are prepared to support a plan by Reps. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, and David Minge, D-Minn., to offer a modified version of the Senate budget plan. Castle said he has heard of at least three Republicans who are ready to support the Senate resolution, adding that once he receives more information about the plan, he, too, may be willing to vote for it.
Being able to vote for the Minge-Stenholm plan could "help some Republicans who did not have a fallback position" if they opposed the Kasich budget, Castle said. And while Republican leaders continue to seek support for the Kasich plan among GOP moderates, Castle said, "I haven't really spoken to anyone during this period."
Meanwhile, Armey said he believes the Kasich plan will pass and that he hopes Kasich will not have to eliminate any of the spending cuts.
"It is my hope that we can keep to that mark," he told reporters. Asked about moderate Republican support for the Senate plan, Armey said, "I am very confident that the 'Blue Dog' budget will not achieve anywhere near the cuts that the CATs budget will achieve."
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