He's already stated he wants it gone. They can't address

Posted on: June 29, 2025 at 19:29:26 CT

it in the BBB, but you've been told this 1000 times.

A reconciliation bill in the US Congress is a legislative vehicle that allows for expedited passage of budgetary legislation, including changes to spending, revenue, and the debt limit. It bypasses certain Senate rules, such as the filibuster, allowing passage with a simple majority (51 votes) instead of the usual 60. This process is used to align legislation with the Congressional Budget Resolution. House Budget Committee Democrats (.gov)
Here's a breakdown of the key aspects:
1. Purpose: Reconciliation is a tool used to streamline the passage of legislation related to the federal budget, tax policy, and spending.
2. Senate Rules and Reconciliation:
No Filibuster:
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Reconciliation bills cannot be filibustered in the Senate, meaning they can pass with a simple majority.
Limited Debate:
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Debate time on reconciliation bills is limited, typically to 20 hours in the Senate, which further accelerates the process.
Germane Amendments:
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Amendments offered to a reconciliation bill must be related to the bill's subject matter (germane).
Deficit Limits:
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Amendments in the Senate generally cannot increase the deficit, though there are exceptions.
Vote-a-Rama:
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After the time for debate has expired, Senators can offer amendments, but these are not subject to debate. This is known as a "vote-a-rama".
3. Restrictions:
Budgetary Matters Only: Reconciliation bills must pertain to budgetary matters like spending, revenues, deficits, or the debt limit.
Social Security: The Social Security program cannot be changed through reconciliation.
Extraneous Provisions: Provisions that don't have a budgetary effect or are considered outside the jurisdiction of the relevant committees may be struck from the bill.
4. How it Works:
Congressional Budget Resolution:
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Reconciliation begins with a Congressional Budget Resolution, which sets overall spending and revenue targets.
Committee Instructions:
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The Budget Resolution instructs specific committees to make changes to spending or revenues to meet the targets.
Committee Action:
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Each committee then drafts legislation to fulfill its instructions.
Combined Bill:
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The House Budget Committee (or the Senate Budget Committee if the House acts first) combines the individual committee bills into a single reconciliation bill.
5. Example: The recent "No Tax on Overtime" proposal was included in a reconciliation bill. Another reconciliation bill has proposed changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and changes to taxes on university endowments and private foundations.