Boehner Seeks House GOP Backing on Budget Deal
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Retiring House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is looking to go out on top by crafting a budget deal with the White House.
The deal faces its first hurdle Tuesday, when it goes before restive House Republicans. Boehner is asking them to back the plan that will keep the government running and avoid a debt crisis.
The budget funds the Pentagon and government agencies for two years, in exchange for unspecified cuts. Whether or not it succeeds depends on fiscal conservatives who helped force Boehner to quit.
It would be Boehner's last act as House speaker.
Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is seeking to distance himself from the accord.
"This is not the way to do the people's business," the Wisconsin lawmaker said. "And under new management we are not going to do the people's business this way. We are up against a deadline - that's unfortunate."
"But going forward we can't do the people's business. As a conference we should've been meeting months ago to discuss these things to have a unified strategy going forward," he said.
Ryan is expected to be elected speaker of the House later this week.
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