The Speaker has made a similar move before in late-stage negotiations with the president. In 2011, as the nation approached the debt ceiling with no deal in sight, Boehner pushed a Republican proposal through the House floor in a bid to gain leverage with Democrats.

But this would be the first time Boehner would ask his members to vote for a tax increase, and it was unclear whether Republican leaders could even pass their bill through the House without Democratic support.

“It’d be a bit of a stretch,” Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) said. “Good whip team. I just don’t know for sure.” Gingrey said he was undecided on how he would vote.