House Republicans are anxiously watching Speaker Mike Johnson. (Getty Images)
The budget reconciliation process allows the majority party in the House and Senate, in this case Republicans, to pass a broad-ranging conservative policy overhaul, provided the contents are relevant to the budget and other fiscal matters. It does so by lowering the threshold for passage in the Senate from 60 votes to 51.
It starts with a budget resolution that includes instructions for specific committees to work toward changes to fiscal policy law under their respective jurisdictions, including topline numbers.
When asked by reporters about whether he expects those broad toplines to emerge on Wednesday morning, Johnson said, "We'll be getting to that final number. What we've emphasized with our group is that we want to have some flexibility in the how the instructions are given to the committees.
"Stay tuned for the number. It will be substantial, because it has to be. I mean, we have a $36 trillion federal debt, and we're committing that in this process. Anything we do is going to be deficit neutral, at least, or deficit-reducing," he said.
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President Donald Trump spoke at the GOP retreat. (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)
Other GOP lawmakers signaled they were exasperated by weeks of "listening sessions" among Republicans that have not led to specific directives from House leaders.
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But Johnson was confident that the House Budget Committee would have its "blueprint" to work from when Congress is back "to the hill," which is next week.
"That's going to happen, and we'll get it through the whole chamber. And we'll be voting on that by late February," he said.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/anxious-republicans-demand-action-from-house-leaders-gop-retreat-ends-without-budget-plan