Overview

• Lawmakers from both parties are expressing concern about the future of a government funding handshake deal brokered between the White House and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).
• Ultraconservatives, in pursuit of steeper cuts amid climbing debt, say Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is not beholden to what Democrats say is the full commitment made by McCarthy.
• Critical components of the months-old deal, which were not reflected in the law, are now in question as lawmakers negotiate how the government should be funded next year.
• The House Freedom Caucus is pressuring Johnson to hold the line, demanding in a letter that any deal on a top-line level for government funding for fiscal 2024 “significantly reduce total programmatic spending year-over-year.”
• Democrats and advocates are sounding alarm over the push, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), head of the Progressive Caucus, expressing 'very' concerned about the potential cuts.