The House Budget Committee has released a budget blueprint H Con Resolution targeting massive spending cuts over eight years (FY 2026-FY 2034). It was moved out of committee on Thursday, Feb. 13, before the House took off Feb. 17-20 for Presidents’ Day.

Scroll to page 34 of the Resolution above to see budget changes set for each area of government (to be overseen by the appropriate House committee) for each fiscal year. For example, “the Committee on Education and Workforce shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction to reduce the deficit by not less than $330,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2034.” Total reduction = $3.3 trillion.

Seven committees are slated to reduce the deficit, while four are allowed to increase the deficit but with a cap: Armed Services, Homeland Security, Judiciary and Ways & Means.

The bill would raise the debt limit by $4 trillion and extend the 2017 tax cuts initiated by President Donald Trump.

This is the “one big, beautiful bill” concept proposed by Trump and he’s endorsed it over the alternative proposed by the Senate.

  • What I know: Not much
  • What I don’t know: How the proposed reductions match against the overall budgets of the affected departments; and which House committees oversee areas like Social Security, Medicare, public health, space exploration, and foreign affairs. (Administrative costs of Social Security and the US Postal Service are covered on page 42)
  • What I think: The Senate bills separate deficit reduction from the tax cut extension. Senate rules require 60 votes to break a filibuster. Since Republicans hold a 53-47 margin, it would be tough to break a Democratic filibuster against the tax cuts. Which is why Trump wants “one big, beautiful bill.”

What will Tim Burchett do?

The House recess gave Burchett time to do what he does best – get on every cable show that would have him.

(Tip to readers: You don’t have to watch those dreadful shows. Just check Tim’s page on Facebook or other social media. He posts clips of his interviews.)

Here’s what I distilled from this week’s interviews: Burchett told Pam Brown on CNN that “We need to pile it on fast before we lose our nerve.”

“Why do we need Trump, Musk and DOGE?” he posted on Valentine’s Day. “Because Congress doesn’t have the guts to do the right thing.”

He called the FBI “as crooked as a dog’s leg,” and said, “I don’t trust any of them.”

To another interviewer, Burchett said DOGE has shown that “every department is corrupt,” and he suggested that members of Congress who yell about Musk and friends raiding departments for financial data will be upset because they are taking kickbacks or have a wife and/or girlfriend on the payroll of somebody getting the grants.

Jack Huddleston

Burchett more than likely will support the House bill. But how can he support tax cuts for the wealthiest citizens and raise the debt limit by $4 trillion?

I talked with Jack Huddleston (former firefighter, former county commissioner, owner of Jack’s Wholesale Tires in Corryton) the other day. Jack is old enough to be wise, and he said: “I’m proud to have a congressman who won’t support an unbalanced budget.”

Jack favors not extending the tax cuts while running a deficit.

“I like Burchett, but enough is enough,” he said. “The middle class can’t carry both ends.”