Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) addresses a Tea Party event in Salina, Kansas on April 18, 2011 (Photo: Huelskamp/Flickr)

Washington (CNSNews.com) – As many as 100 Republicans would not vote for a negotiated debt ceiling increase if it does not include significant cuts in the first year, according to Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.). The freshman lawmaker said he and other freshmen members see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to curb uncontrolled spending.

During a Heritage Foundation event on Tuesday, CNSNews.com asked Huelskamp, “How important is it that you get the cuts early, in the context of a 10-year plan?”

“Someone asked that in conference this morning: Why aren’t the cuts in the first year?,” Huelskamp replied. “Neither side will tell you what the cuts are in the first year, even the folks that are negotiating for us. If the cuts are not made this year, then when will they be?”

The national debt stands at $14.4 trillion. To continue borrowing more, the U.S. must increase the debt limit, and congressional leaders are meeting with President Obama this week to negotiate raising the ceiling.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is demanding significant spending cuts and no tax increases. Obama says he wants a “balanced” approach, with “shared sacrifice” to include targeting tax loopholes on corporate jet owners and oil companies.

Huelskamp said he and other freshmen recall that, when lawmakers made a deal in April for a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown, they were informed it contained bigger cuts than ended up in the final bill.

“Back on the C.R., they told us Friday evening or Saturday morning about 2 a.m., ‘there’s $38 billion worth of cuts, we’ll come back and give you the final details,’” he said. “Tuesday morning, the budget committee staff confirmed its $352 million. There were essentially no cuts.”

“That will be the problem [in this instance too],” Huelskamp continued. “And so, you’ve got to make cuts now.”

“I think our leadership is very clear those cuts have to be happening this fiscal year in order to patch that up. If not, I think they’ll lose at least 100 Republican votes.”

Huelskamp said the current situation offers a rare opportunity to control spending and Republicans should not cave. He believed new Republicans elected in 2010 may not have this opportunity again.

“Many freshmen are holding very firm. I believe this is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Huelskamp said during his opening remarks. “I know election after election they say ‘this is the election that’s really going to matter.’ In the next month, in my opinion, this is where we have the opportunity to turn back the spending problem in Washington. It’s not a taxing problem. It’s not because we tax too little; we got into this because we spend too much. And the president is up against a deadline. They are going to run out of money.”

“Don’t let the Republicans cave in and give in,” urged Huelskamp. “This is the maximum amount of leverage we’re ever going to have as members of Congress. We’re holding out for three things – cut, cap and balance. We’ve got to cut spending this year. We’ve got to cap spending then we’ve got to pass a balanced budget amendment.”

“We are going to solve this problem,” he added. “But if we do not, we will become Greece.”