House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) (L) answers questions during a press conference with U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) (R) at the U.S. Capitol July 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Also pictured are U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) (2nd L) and U.S. House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (2nd R). (Getty Images)
(AP)
WASHINGTON — The next step in the weeks-long saga over how to increase the government's borrowing cap is to let House tea party forces try it their way.
A Republican "cut, cap and balance" plan set for a House vote Tuesday would condition a $2.4 trillion increase in the so-called debt limit on an immediate $100 billion-plus cut from next year's budget and adoption by Congress of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget.
"Let's let the American people decide," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on "Fox News Sunday." "Do they want something common sense as cutting spending, capping the growth in government and requiring a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution?"
The idea appears to be to allow tea party-backed GOP lawmakers to have the run of Congress this week in hopes that they'll ultimately be able to stomach a plan emerging in the Senate to give President Barack Obama sweeping power to order a $2.5 trillion increase in the debt limit without approval by Congress.
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