Smucker Stakes Bid for House Budget Chair, Promises Fiscal Discipline and Budget-Process Reform

Rep. Lloyd Smucker Seeks House Budget Committee Gavel

Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), the current vice chair of the House Budget Committee, has announced a bid to lead House Republicans on the committee after Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) said he will not seek reelection. Smucker is pitching his behind-the-scenes record of bridging intra-party disputes as proof he can steer the committee toward meaningful deficit reduction and a more functional budget process.

Focus on Fiscal Discipline

Smucker told The Hill he believes the federal budget is on an "unsustainable" path and that the Budget Committee should lead efforts to change course. He said his long-term goal is to return deficits toward roughly 3% of GDP or to something close to a balanced budget over time, acknowledging such change must be incremental rather than immediate.

"We’re on a path that’s unsustainable — won’t end well if we’re not able to change course," Smucker said. "I strongly believe we can still do that over time. Can’t fix it all at once, but I think the Budget Committee is the one that really should be leading that process."

Role in Negotiating the "One Big Beautiful Bill"

Smucker played a central role in reconciling fiscal hawks with House leadership during negotiations over the expansive One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In one decisive late-night meeting, he put Paul Winfree of the Economic Policy Innovation Center on speakerphone to present a mechanism that tied spending reductions to tax changes — a compromise that helped convince skeptical members the legislation included stronger spending restraint.

He also helped negotiate through a later deadlock when a small group of fiscal hardliners sank a committee vote, allowing the bill to advance days later. Reflecting on those talks, Smucker said the experience reinforced his view that incremental, politically viable fiscal improvement is achievable.

Restoring the Budget Process

Another key priority for Smucker if he wins the chairmanship is restoring regular congressional budgeting. He highlighted that Congress has averaged about five continuing resolutions per year over the past two decades and argued the appropriations process lacks accountability and transparency as a result.

Smucker noted progress under Speaker Mike Johnson, pointing out that the House Appropriations Committee advanced all 12 annual appropriations bills. He also said he is open to revisiting the 1972 Budget Control Act, the statutory framework meant to guide the budget process.

Outlook and Background

Arrington surprised some colleagues by announcing his departure after a decade in Congress; Party rules generally limit committee chairs to three terms, though Arrington had another term of eligibility. Selections for the next Budget Committee chair (or ranking member, should Republicans lose the House) will occur next year. Smucker, who sought the gavel in 2022 and lost to Arrington in a steering-committee secret ballot, is widely regarded as a leading contender.

Smucker praised Arrington for refocusing the committee on the nation’s long-term fiscal trajectory. He emphasized that promises to younger Americans on Social Security and Medicare can be kept, but only if federal finances are put on a firmer path through steady, explainable steps.

Note: Reporting reflects statements made to The Hill in November and public developments through the announcement of Arrington’s decision.