House GOP's debt limit bill amended prior to expected floor vote

The House Rules Committee has made several changes to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt limit legislation ahead of an expected vote as early as Wednesday.

McCarthy and House Republican Whip Tom Emmer have been negotiating with a group of conservative GOP lawmakers to garner enough support to pass the legislation before the House adjourns.

The changes include enforcing work requirements for recipients of federal benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, according to the text of the amendment. 

An amendment to the legislation also leaves federal incentives for alternative fuels such as biodiesel in tact, whereas the earlier version repealed these incentives.

The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 would extend the debt limit for one year and limit domestic spending growth by 1% per year. It also eliminates many of the green energy tax credits in the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would also block President Biden's student debt forgiveness plan from implementation. The president announced the program through an executive order last year without congressional approval.

The White House said on Tuesday that Biden would veto the legislation if it arrived at his desk. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also said he opposes the House bill.