Paul Ryan is struggling in his efforts to pass a trillion-dollar appropriations package at the end of 2016, according to officials in Washington in a report by The Hill.
Ryan pushed through the 2015 omnibus bill at the last minute after previous House Speaker John Boehner's retirement and his taking the job. The Hill report said Boehner was pressured to resign after he made last-minute deals with Democrats to pass the bills.
Ryan expressed his dissatisfaction with doing business in that way, and said he would change how it's done.
"I hate omnibus bills and I don't like doing these last-second bills. By getting the slate cleaned now, by getting this behind us, we can start our appropriations process early next year and do it the right way, individual bills, all 12 bills, open up the process… do it the way the Founders intended in the first place," Ryan said to radio host Bill Bennett last December.
Ryan attempted to move appropriations bills through the House on regular order. All twelve spending bills cleared the House this year, but were blocked in the Senate by the Democratic Minority Leader, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid.
After a meeting with President Barack Obama and congressional leaders, Ryan's office called breaking up the omnibus into "minibuses," smaller bills that preserves more of the work of the appropriators.
Ryan ally Rep. Kevin Cramer said the minibus plan "is all about full transparency, and minibuses are far more transparent (and) allow floor debate in plain view of C-SPAN."
One House GOP appropriator is hopeful that the minibus strategy will work.
"We're still in that stage of hope, of trying to figure out a way to preserve the work that's been done. But we are realistic and know the president always has that bully pulpit," meaning the power to veto what they send his way, the appropriator said.
Ryan also faces a vote to remain House Speaker, and he has to win support from the far-right Freedom Caucus to do so. Ryan needs support from more than half the chamber, 218 votes, in a January roll call to keep the job.
Caucus members were upset with Ryan, saying he didn't help Caucus member Kansas Rep. Tim Huelskamp enough, and Huelskamp lost his state's primary. The Hill reported that Ryan has worked on building trust with the Caucus.
Virginia Republican Rep. Dave Brat supports the idea of continuing resolutions at least until the spring of next year.
"When the Democrats are willing to shut down the government every year for the past six years in order to get their way, then the Speaker in the end knows that we have to do an omnibus in December."
Brat said that the struggle to pass the bill should have already started.
"In order to win this fight, we needed to start messaging six months ago, as soon as Harry Reid broke his word and started gumming up the works, but we did not take that approach and so once again we will have a Merry Christmas omnibus budget that infuriates the American people," Brat said.
House Democrat Minority Whip Steny Hoyer reported his objections to the minibus plan, according to Roll Call.
"I don't know why you would talk about minibuses unless you want to leave somebody off the bus," the Maryland representative said.
Roll Call later reported that Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she was open to the minibus plan if it made sure that all agencies were covered.
"If the minibuses add up to an omnibus, if everything was included, then we can vote on something like that."
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