Dems could pull floor move on RSC budget

House Democrats are not whipping a “no” vote on the Republican Study Committee (RSC) budget, opening up the possibility they will try a fancy floor maneuver.

Two years ago, Democrats whipped a “present” vote on the conservative RSC plan, in an attempt to force a situation where it replaced the leadership-backed budget authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)

For the amendment to succeed, it only needs a majority, excluding present votes.

In 2011, the RSC budget failed on a 119-to-136 vote, with 172 voting “present.” 

“I thought it was a good strategy when I first proposed it. I think it remains a good strategy, to let the American people know what, in fact, the majority of Republicans really believe,” Democratic Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday.

The RSC plan is coming up for a vote Wednesday. It would balance the budget in four years with much deeper cuts than the newest Ryan budget. It would also privatize Medicare for those 59 and younger, an older cutoff date than Ryan has used, or which centrists in the party find comfortable.

The Hoyer move could spell trouble for many in the GOP. The conservative Heritage Action organization announced Wednesday that they are "key voting" the RSC budget, meaning a "no" vote on the RSC would count against a member's annual ratings. If the RSC budget is on track to passage, House GOP leaders will likely have to engage in arm-twisting to lower the GOP "yes" vote total, in order to ensure the RSC budget amendment does not pass.

Democrats whipped their members to vote "yes" on a budget alternative authored by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). That budget would raise revenue by $1.2 trillion and has $200 billion in new stimulus. They are also whipping a “yes” vote on the Senate Democratic budget, which has been brought up as an amendment by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) in an attempt to show the Senate budget cannot pass the House.

The Senate Democratic budget, on track to receive a vote in the Senate this weekend, has $975 billion in new taxes and a $100 billion stimulus program. 

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