Club for Growth key-votes Senate budget amendments

The conservative Club for Growth announced Friday that it will score votes on four of the more than 400 budget amendments pending before the Senate.

If a senator votes "no" on any of the amendments, the Club will reduce that member's annual ratings score. Among the GOP, the Club score is viewed with some trepidation because a low rating could spark primary challenges.

The Club is demanding "yes" votes on an amendment from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) that bars the use of federal funds to bail out state and local governments that are defaulting on their debts, and on an amendment fromSen. John Thune (R-S.D.) to permanently repeal the estate tax.

It is also key-voting an amendment by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to create a new procedure to strike earmarks from bills, and one by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to get rid of the Export-Import Bank.  

The bank is widely supported by big business, which argues it is a self-sustaining entity that levels the playing fields for global trade. Conservatives opposed its reauthorization last year because they argued its subsidized loans violate free-market principles.

President Obama this week renominated Fred Hochberg as head of the Ex-Im Bank. 

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