The debate over the number of reconciliation bills, the vehicles for Trump’s agenda, in the 119th Congress has been ongoing.
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said that he’s indifferent to the number of reconciliation bills required to pass his agenda, which has emerged as a key question for Republicans in Congress ahead of his inauguration.
Trump visited the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 8 to meet with Senate Republican leaders and, along with incoming First Lady Melania Trump, pay his respects to the late President James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr., who is lying in state in the Capitol’s rotunda and whose state funeral service will be attended by Trump along with all former U.S. presidents on Jan. 9.
Following the meeting, Trump spoke with reporters—flanked by Vice President-elect JD Vance and Senate GOP leaders—and addressed reconciliation following a question from The Epoch Times.
“Whether it’s one bill or two bills, it’s going to get done one way or the other,” Trump said. “There’s a lot of talk about two, and there’s a lot of talk about one, but it doesn’t matter. The end result is the same. We’re going to get something done that’s going to be reducing taxes and creating a lot of jobs, and all of the other things.”
The budget reconciliation process is a method by which Congress can easily enact legislation on matters affecting taxation, spending, and borrowing—without the requirement to obtain 60 votes in the Senate for cloture to overcome a filibuster. The effects of such a bill cannot last beyond 10 years, and only one such bill can be considered by the Senate every year.
Technically, both chambers may pass separate reconciliation bills regarding each subject, though the Senate’s rules generally limit them to two bills per Congress. The reconciliation process was last used to enact the most consequential bills of President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda—the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
A reconciliation bill’s immunity from cloture requirements has made it an attractive method for enacting Republicans’ policy agenda, given they shall have only 53 members in the Senate and do not wish to reform the cloture process. Still, reconciliation is subject to substantive limitations. Provisions not related to taxation, spending, and borrowing cannot be included in such a bill.
Rulings by the Senate’s Parliamentarian—a non-partisan officer who advises the Senate on parliamentary procedure—are considered authoritative on whether a provision can validly remain in a reconciliation bill, or not. During the 117th Congress, the Parliamentarian’s rulings prevented Senate Democrats from including pharmaceutical drug price controls and penalties in the Inflation Reduction Act, which was a key priority for the Biden administration.
Hence, the Parliamentarian’s rulings could present complications to Senate Republicans if they seek to include non-fiscal measures regarding border security and energy policy, which are also leading GOP priorities. Any reconciliation bill is likely to be introduced after Trump takes office.
