The Senate GOP is facing a spending battle after Trump

Republicans brace themselves for a fierce battle over spending as the party seeks to uncover its post-Trump identity.

GOP senators will wade into two main sources of division in the conference this week: whether an earmark ban should be lifted, one of the few vestiges of the Tea Party years, and whether a caucus rule should be enacted to help offset any increase in the debt ceiling with austerity.

The looming standoff comes after Republicans have embraced big budgets among former ones President TrumpDonald TrumpHouse Votes To Condemn Chinese Government Over Hong Kong Former Vice President Walter Mondale Dies At Age 93 White House Prepares For Chauvin’s Ruling MORE, who expressed support for getting rid of the debt ceiling, urging GOP lawmakers to get bigger in the latest round of coronavirus relief passed during his tenure.

Her. John ThuneJohn Randolph Thune The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – All American Adults Can Get a Vaccine; Friday decision at J&J vax GOP acknowledges fight to topple Biden Senate GOP to fight over ear tags next week MORE (RS.D.), the No. 2 Republican of the Senate, said he had “no idea” how this week’s debate will unfold given the divided caucus.

“I think everyone is interested in hearing the discussion and arguments from both sides, but it’s an issue that a lot of people have quite strong opinions about,” said Thune.

Senate Republicans are increasingly marginalized on Capitol Hill when it comes to spending. Democrats are poised to revive earmarks and House Republicans, in a surprise move, lifted their own ban this year, leaving only GOP senators formally sticking to the Obama-era redline.

But the Senate’s GOP battle is politically complicated, and the outcome could indicate where the party and the caucus are headed, especially if they reclaim one or both chambers next year.

On one side is a cadre of the party’s 2024 White House contenders.

Republicans including Sens. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward Cruz15 Senate Republicans Vow To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban ‘Real Housewives of the GOP’ – Wannabe reality show that narcissists claim the party. Is the antidote to bad speech more speech or more regulation? MORE (Texas), Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyHillicon Valley: Apple Approves Parler’s Return to App Store | White House Scales Response to SolarWinds, Microsoft Incidents | Pressure on DHS Rises Over Relationship With Clearview AI 15 Senate Republicans Vow To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban Is The Antidote To Bad Speech More Speech Or More Regulation? MORE (Ma.), Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard Paul15 Senate Republicans pledge to oppose lifting of the earmark ban. The Hill’s Morning Report – presented by Tax March – CDC in limbo of J&J vax ruling; Rep. Brady retires over anti-Asian hate crime bill overcomes Senate first hurdle MORE (Ky.), Marco RubioMarco Antonio Rubio15 Senate Republicans Vow To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban 2024 Parade GOP Hopeful Court House Conservatives Hillicon Valley: Biden Administration Sanctions Russia for SolarWinds Hack, Electoral Interference MORE (Fla.) Are all against lifting the earmarking ban. Another potential White House contender, Sen. Ben SasseBen Sasse15 Senate Republicans Vow To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban Toomey Warns GOP Peers To Stay Away From Eartags Bipartisan Lawmakers Signal Support For Biden Cybersecurity Choices MORE (R-Neb.), The 2019 indictment led to the permanent ban being included in the caucus rules.

They were part of a group of 15 senators who distributed a letter on Monday pledging not to rely on the lifting of the earmarking ban.

‘We … are committed to the ban on eartags. We will not vote to withdraw it. We will not participate in an inherently wasteful spending practice that is prone to serious abuse, ”they wrote in the letter.

Among other notable signers was Sen. John CornynJohn Cornyn15 Senate Republicans Vow To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban Cornyn Defends Controversial Tweet As Not About Biden’s Competency Aiding Media In Rise Of ‘Zombie President’ Conspiracy MORE (R-Texas), a possible successor to GOP Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHouse Votes To Condemn Chinese Government Over Hong Kong 15 Senate Republicans Pledge To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban It’s Not ‘Woketivism’ It’s Good Business MORE (R-Ky.) When he steps down or retires. McConnell has not yet taken a public position on reviving ear tags, other than to say earlier this year that much of his caucus would be against such a move.

“Unfortunately, it looks like we are returning to the previous status quo,” said Cornyn.

In a possible muscle flexion, conservatives insist that any vote on the earmark ban be a roll call vote. It’s a shift from the way Republicans currently deal with rule changes – secret ballot – and could force those who vote to lift the ban to publicly defend their decision.

“If we vote on this pay-for-play tactic, it must be public,” Sen. Steve DainesSteven (Steve) David Daines15 Senate Republicans Pledge To Oppose Lifting Eartag Ban Senate GOP Will Face Over Earmarking Next Week Trump Faces Power Test With Early Approval MORE (R-Mont.) Tweeted.

A spokesperson confirmed that Daines believes there should be a public record of the vote, not that the vote itself should be in public.

Meanwhile, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), The chair of the Senate’s GOP campaign branch and a potential candidate for 2024, will offer a rule change to promote policies that the debt ceiling “ has not been suspended and raised. unless accompanied by equal or greater cuts in federal spending. “

Scott said he expects his amendment to be passed.

‘I don’t think we should raise the debt ceiling. I think we have to live within our means, ”said Scott, adding that he thought voters wanted Republicans to re-embrace fiscal conservatism because they are“ concerned ”about the country’s debt.

Scott’s proposal, if Republicans stick to it, could have immediate consequences. Congress will have to decide this year on raising the debt ceiling.

While conservatives have long advocated linking austerity to the debt ceiling, a bipartisan group of senators typically provides the 60 votes needed for a “clean” suspension or hike in the debt ceiling.

Wednesday’s votes will pit Senate conservatives against some of the top members of the caucus: Republicans in the mighty Credit Commission and perhaps Trump himself.

Her. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin Graham ‘Real Housewives of the GOP’ – Wannabe reality show that narcissists claim the party Graham: ‘I couldn’t disagree anymore’ with Trump’s support for troop withdrawal Wall Street spent .9 billion on campaigns, lobbying in the 2020 elections: research MORE (RS.C.), a close ally of the former president, has told GOP colleagues that Trump supports earmarks and is pushing them to follow suit.

Part of the complication for Republicans is that Democrats plan to go ahead with earmarking anyway. Sen. Patrick LeahyPatrick Joseph Leahy Senate Democrats are calling on Biden to restore oversight of semiautomatic and sniper rifle exports. (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Credit Committee, has said he will distribute the money available for earmarking to Republicans if they participate.

If they don’t, it’s unclear whether they’re just giving Democrats more money to get back to their home state.

Thune said that in a “perfect world,” Republicans would rather not have ear tags, but acknowledged that the debate is being influenced by others in Congress.

“Now you have House Republicans and Democrats, and the question is, is the allocation we have not being used, is it going back to the Democrats pool?” Thune asked.

Her. Richard ShelbyRichard Craig Shelby The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – All American Adults Can Get a Vaccine; Decides on J&J vax on Friday Senate GOP to face off over ear tags next week Senate GOP opens door for ear tags MORE (R-Ala.) GOP proprietors warned that if Republicans don’t use their share of the earmarked money, it would go back to Democrats. Shelby said Republicans would get about $ 4 billion to send via eartags.

“If we didn’t use it, they’d get $ 8 billion,” he said, referring to the Democrats.

While Wednesday’s vote yields tea leaves for where Senate Republicans are headed, and creates a lot of tension within the caucus, the results could be largely a symbolic victory for conservatives for now.

Cornyn, who opposes the lifting of the earmarking ban, acknowledged that there was no ‘enforcement mechanism’.

Her. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntMissouri Republicans reviewing Senate bids to hold fundraisers at Mar-a-Lago Guilfoyle named as national chairman of Greitens’ Senate campaign in Missouri. Representative Brady is retiring MORE (R-Mo.), A member of the GOP leadership and a member of the Credit Committee, predicted that Senate Republicans will eventually book regardless of Wednesday’s vote.

“I suspect that at the end of the day, enough Senate Republicans have set aside to use up our half … of the money,” said Blunt.

Blunt added that he likewise did not think Scott’s debt ceiling change would prevent GOP senators from backing a clean debt ceiling, adding that it “would simply express the philosophy of whoever voted for it.”