Members of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus laid out their proposals on Tuesday to strip the incoming Democratic Congress of some of its power.
The caucus called for an ambitious party-line bill in the current lame-duck session to fund the military, establish new health savings accounts, and cut $1 trillion in spending over the next 10 years.
“The folks back home are done with excuses; that’s what we saw on [Election Day],” said Rep. Keith Self, Texas Republican, reflecting on the midterm wipeout at the group’s press conference.
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“We need to clear the decks, strip the Democrats of every leverage point. Let’s bring in the cots into both chambers and get her done.”
Historically a fringe faction of tea party bomb-throwers, the Freedom Caucus could wield increased influence within the GOP conference come January.
Dozens of moderate Republicans lost their reelection campaigns in November, a development that likely helped Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a founder of the Freedom Caucus, get elected as House Minority Leader. He will take over that role in January.
The caucus’ members view GOP moderates’ Election Day extinction event as evidence that the party should start listening to hard-liners.
Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland Republican who chairs the caucus, said they want to deal with annual funding for the next fiscal year before Democrats come into power with large majorities.
Federal government funding runs out on Dec. 11.
“We have to send a signal to the financial markets we are willing to deal with the deficit,” said Mr. Harris.
Also, the caucus is still pushing for Senate action on an issue it has harped on for months: a national voter ID requirement for federal elections.
“At least let’s get [Democrats] on the record on voter ID,” said Mr. Harris, who pointed to successful voter ID ballot measures in blue states as evidence that it is a winning political issue for Republicans.
A voter ID bill would require at least three-fifths support in the Senate to advance, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, has repeatedly said he is unwilling to override the filibuster rule to pass it.
The Freedom Caucus’ roadmap also contains proposals with a more bipartisan tilt, such as passing a stock trading ban that would apply to Congress, as well as the president and his family.
The group has also said it is willing to support a deal on federal energy permitting reform.
The Senate is considering a permitting bill meant to ensure that future presidential administrations cannot discriminate against either fossil fuels or renewable energy projects when issuing permits.
Mr. Harris said he could not commit to supporting the bill until he sees its final form after amendments.
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