Heritage Action warns on budget deal

The key conservative group Heritage Action on Monday warned that it will oppose any budget deal that reverses sequestration cuts in exchange for “inadequate” spending cuts later.

{mosads}Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) are trying to complete a small budget deal this week and have discussed using cuts scored over 10 years to pay for increased spending in 2014 and 2015.

“Heritage Action cannot support a budget deal that would increase spending in the near-term for promises of woefully inadequate long-term reductions. While imperfect, the sequester has proven to be an effective tool in forcing Congress to reduce discretionary spending, and a gimmicky, spend-now-cut-later deal will take our nation in the wrong direction,” the group said in a statement. 

Heritage Action has proven able to scuttle legislation in the House since the Republicans gained the majority in 2011.  

A Ryan-Murray deal could be more immune from conservative pressure if it can garner enough support from Democrats. Democratic support would be under pressure if the deal, as expected, does not turn off all of the sequester, does not contain extended jobless benefits or reduces federal retirement benefits.