39 GOP Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge Signers May Decide Fate of Boehner Plan

The fate of House Speaker John Boehner’s new debt and deficit-reduction plan may lie in the hands of the 39 Republicans who signed a cut, cap, and balance pledge, The Hill reports.

Only six of those pledglings have committed to endorsing Boehner’s bill, or at least indicated they are leaning toward it, while 19 have said they will or probably will oppose it, according to The Hill. The cut-cap pledge calls for rejecting any proposal to raise the debt ceiling without major cuts, spending caps, and a balanced-budget amendment.

Meanwhile, 14 others are mum on how they will vote on the bill, expected to be brought to the House floor today. Republican leaders must persuade most of them to vote yes or the bill will die, according to The Hill's analysis.

The stakes are high, with The Hill noting: “The vote is, without doubt, the most important roll call of Boehner's reign as speaker. Passage would boost Boehner and his colleagues. A defeat would represent a devastating blow to the Ohio Republican.”

According to The Hill's whip list, Republicans plan to vote against, or are leaning toward rejecting, the bill.

The Hill lists the 14 Republicans, including seven freshmen, who have signed the pledge but haven’t tipped their hands on the bill as being:

• Joe Barton of Texas
• Dan Benishek of Michigan
• Dan Burton of Indiana
• Trent Franks of Arizona
• Randy Hultgren of Illinois
• Raul Labrador of Idaho
• Jeff Landry of Louisiana
• Tom Latham of Iowa
• Tom Marino of Pennsylvania
• Jeff Miller of Florida
• Jean Schmidt of Ohio
• David Schweikert of Arizona
• Tim Scott of South Carolina
• Joe Wilson of South Carolina