Arkansas congressman wins backing to head budget panel

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack speaks to kids on Monday, October 16, 2017 at Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville.
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack speaks to kids on Monday, October 16, 2017 at Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville.

WASHINGTON -- Backed by top Republican leadership, a lawmaker from Northwest Arkansas is poised to claim the House Budget Committee gavel.

The House Republican Steering Committee on Tuesday evening threw its support behind 3rd District U.S. Rep. Steve Womack. The full House Republican conference will have to approve the move.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan called Womack "the right man for the job."

"Steve's experience in the House, commitment to fiscal conservatism, and relentless pursuit to safeguard taxpayer dollars make him extremely qualified to lead this important committee," Ryan said in a written statement. "... I know he will do an excellent job."

The fourth-term Republican from Rogers, who currently serves on the budget committee, would replace U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., who is stepping down as chairman and running for governor of her state.

Also Tuesday, Arkansas' U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Dardanelle was named to the Senate Budget Committee. U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers is already a member.

In addition to Womack, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs also serves on the House Budget Committee.

All four Arkansas lawmakers are Republicans who have called for greater fiscal responsibility.

"Certainly, Arkansas will be well represented on the budget committee between the House and the Senate," Boozman said.

With Black departing as chairman, there was a scramble to replace her.

U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Ga., and Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, had also sought the post.

Womack "will do an outstanding job," Boozman said. "This is one of the most important committees that we have and I know he will work very, very hard."

Arkansas' U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, a Republican from Jonesboro, predicted Womack would be an effective chairman.

"Congressman Womack has always maintained focus on reforming Washington's spending problem, and he's dedicated to regular order in the House. As an appropriator, Steve has intimate knowledge of the process and the vision to get things done," he said. "There isn't anyone else better equipped to be budget chairman."

Gov. Asa Hutchinson called Tuesday's announcement "great news for Arkansas" and predicted Womack would do "an extraordinary job."

"To have one of our congressmen in one of the most powerful positions in Washington will give Arkansans a tremendous voice as federal spending is guided in the future," Hutchinson said. "He will represent our state and nation well."

Womack said he was honored to be tapped for the job.

"There's no doubt it's a huge challenge -- I'm excited for the chance to lead such an important committee in pursuit of a budget resolution that will address our nation's priorities while putting America on a sustainable fiscal path," he said.

The United States hasn't had a balanced budget since 2001, the year President George W. Bush took office. Deficit spending accelerated after the 2008 banking crisis, surpassing $1.4 trillion in fiscal 2009. Last year's deficit was $666 billion, up $80 billion from fiscal 2016.

Members of Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget,* a bipartisan organization that opposes deficit spending, are concerned about the ever-growing debt.

Maya MacGuineas, the group's president, said it won't be easy for the budget committees to tackle the nation's fiscal challenges -- especially now.

"Republicans for many years had insisted on budgets that would cut spending or reduce the debt and reach balance over at least a 10-year period, if not sooner. They skipped that last year in pursuit of large unpaid-for tax cuts," she said. "Now, this is the moment where the fiscal reckoning will come. With so much less revenue and zero cuts to spending last year, the fiscal gap will be huge."

She sees hard choices ahead, especially if lawmakers are serious about addressing the nation's budget woes.

"But the good news is there are a lot of fiscally responsible people on the budget committee," she said. "They didn't demonstrate it last year, but perhaps they will this year."

MacGuineas hopes the new chairman will help usher in changes that are overdue.

"I think Congressman Womack has really made clear that fiscal responsibility is one of his big priorities and there's a huge and important opportunity to turn this situation around next year," she added.

Black received praise for her handling of the post.

Arkansas' U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, said Black played a key role in getting the most recent budget passed, clearing the way for the tax cuts that followed.

The Tennessee lawmaker "was maybe the right leader at the right time. She was tireless," he said. "She did quite a capable job and she personally did a lot of that work meeting with members, meeting with committee chairmen, cajoling the process along."

Now that Womack has the backing of the Steering Committee, the recommendation will be forwarded to the full House Republican Conference; it typically supports the decisions of its leadership. From there, the decision will go to the House floor for formal ratification.

The budget process will soon be underway.

The White House's budget blueprint is to be released Feb. 5. The House and Senate budget committees will review the proposal by President Donald Trump's administration and then develop their own budget resolution.

Cotton is filling a Republican seat on the Senate Budget Committee that was previously held by Alabama's Jeff Sessions and Luther Strange.

Sessions resigned to become U.S. attorney general. Strange replaced Sessions, but was beaten in the Republican primary by former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. Ultimately, the seat was claimed by Democrat Doug Jones.

In a news release, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., welcomed Cotton to the panel, adding, "I look forward to his contributions to make government more effective, efficient, and accountable."

Cotton said the committee tackles "some of the most pressing issues our nation faces, such as making sure our armed services have the support they need and restraining our ever-rising national debt."

He promised to work with his colleagues "to put the federal government on a real, responsible budget that reflects the priorities of the American people."

In an interview, Boozman said he's glad that his Arkansas colleague is joining the budget committee.

"This is one of the most important committees in Congress, especially now with us being $20 trillion in debt," Boozman said. "[Cotton] will work hard with the rest of the Republicans on the committee to try to get spending reined in."

photo

AP/ALEX BRANDON

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., questions Former FBI Director James Comey during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Washington.

Metro on 01/10/2018

*CORRECTION: Maya MacGuineas is the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. A previous version of this story misidentified the group MacGuineas leads.

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