Conservative RSC to offer alternative budget in floor vote

The conservative Republican Study Committee will try to amend the House GOP budget when it is considered on the floor next week.

RSC members will offer their own plan as a substitute amendment to the GOP budget, which is supported by the conference's leadership, aides confirmed.

The RSC offered a similar amendment last year, but members said it was possible the conservative group would hold off this year if the GOP budget lowered the spending cap for 2013 to $931 billion.

The RSC plan will balance the budget within 10 years, compared to the roughly 25 years it takes for the blueprint authored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to balance the budget.

RSC Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) informed RSC members of the plan at a Wednesday meeting.

The Ryan budget passed out of committee on Wednesday night in a close 19-18 vote. Two conservatives, Reps. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) and Justin Amash (R-Mich.), voted against it.

It remains unclear how many conservatives will defect on the Ryan budget when it comes to the floor. House GOP leaders expect the budget to pass, but the conservative Club for Growth has come out against it.

The Ryan plan sets a discretionary spending limit of $1.028 trillion next year, a $19 billion reduction from the level agreed to in the August debt-ceiling deal.

Appropriators had wanted to maintain the debt-ceiling cap to help ensure passage of all 12 appropriations bills on time this year, but they are expected to back the Ryan plan's compromise level.

Passing individual bills gives appropriators more power to guide federal spending. Since the Senate is sticking to the deal's $1.047 trillion, a continuing resolution putting the government on autopilot after Sept. 30 is all but certain.