Biden administration targets rural Republicans on debt ceiling bill
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Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
The Biden administration is taking aim at rural and Midwestern Republicans in its efforts to kill House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) bill to raise debt ceiling and cut spending.
Why it matters: At least eight House Republicans plan to vote against the measure unless cuts to ethanol tax credits are removed, Axios' Juliegrace Brufke reported.
What they're saying: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a statement obtained by Axios, said the bill's repeal of tax credits for renewable biofuels "jeopardizes an important income stream for the farmers they source from."
- "It is hard to see the logic in this wrong-headed proposal that would walk back significant progress in clean energy, rural economic recovery, and job creation," he said.
Between the lines: McCarthy is straining to pull detractors in his conference together to pass the measure through the narrowly divided House.
- The Senate and the White House have already threatened to block it, but McCarthy hopes that by being able to unify his members around a set of spending cuts he can force President Biden to the negotiating table.
What we're hearing: Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who told Axios he was recruited by GOP leadership over the weekend to whip fellow Midwesterners to support the bill, told Axios on Monday they "want to talk ... [they] want to get to yes."
- Bacon said his case to his rural colleagues was: "This is the opening salvo and the final bill is probably going to look somewhat different."
- That notion, that many of the bills' most provisions will likely end up on the cutting room floor, has been key to some Biden-district Republicans' support for the bill as well.
What's next: McCarthy is expected to meet with the "Corn Bloc," which includes all four members from Iowa, later on Tuesday afternoon – but leadership has balked at the idea of opening up the bill for changes.
- Instead they have tried to argue that, by voting against the Inflation Reduction Act, the Midwestern members voted against those tax credits once already.
- McCarthy's office didn't respond to an Axios request for comment.
