Conservative lawmakers are expressing doubt that the so-called cromnibus could pass without some concessions from House leadership.
“Is the cromnibus without limitation language, in terms of funding the unconstitutional acts of this president in trouble? I think the answer to that is yes,” Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) said during the Heritage Foundation’s monthly Conversations with Conservatives Tuesday.
He added that the problem is not conservatives, but rather the American people expect the House to respond to the president’s actions.
“Are we going to stand by and allow the American people to not be heard?” he added.
Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) noted that House leadership presented a plan to confront the executive amnesty at its Tuesday morning conference meeting. In an interview with Breitbart News, he called that plan a starting point, and said that he expected there to be some movement and difference with the final product.
“They’re likely to get a lot of suggestions which then they could go back and fix it and pick up support. With it a little loose as it is now, a little loose language, and a little too much spending period, I think they’re likely not to have quite the number they need,” he said.
He added that while he expects that the final product will be either a cromnibus or omnibus with a separate Continuing Resolution funding immigration-related items, he thinks it will be difficult for leadership to garner support if the CR goes to March.
“There’s really no justification to give this president another three months of funding DHS. He’s already printing work permits,” Fleming said. “We know that, and so I think that its a good starting point, but its probably not going to to be supported in its current form. I think if it got firmer language, some limitation language, very short CR — like you hear me say, if we actually voted the first day we came back for the renewal CR, which would then limit spending in DHS, huge statement, I think that would be, that’s something that would get a lot more support. “
He added that he expects leadership will work with conservatives to push it over the finish line.
“Again, they’ve got to get the votes to pass it,” he said.
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) also expressed a belief that leadership would work with conservatives.
“They moved from where they were two weeks ago and finally understood the outrage of doing nothing,” Huelskamp said in a post-event interview, when asked if he expected leadership to work with conservatives to create a package they could rally around.
Huelskamp added that he is frustrated about the short amount of time members will have to see the bill and noted that he is concerned that the Senate has not signed off on the plan yet.
“I think conservatives got the feeling that well there is still a lot up in the air, including whether we’ll just do short term on the DHS,” he said.
The Kansas Republican added that he has concerns about other agencies — including the EPA — where the administration has demonstrated overreach.