Bill Frist and G. William Hoagland: Reforming the reconciliation process
G. William Hoagland is Senior Vice President at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. He previously held senior staff positions with the U.S. Senate Budget Committee and the Office of the Republican Majority Leader. Bill Frist is a Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. They recently wrote an opinion piece for Roll Call, an excerpt of which is below:
A simple amendment to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, to at least prevent digging ourselves into an even deeper hole, is required. Lawmakers should amend reconciliation to codify the original intent of the process as Sen. Byrd stated.
The amendment would specify that no reported reconciliation bill shall be in order in either the U.S. Senate or House if the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will add to current law projected debt and deficits covered by the bill.
The legislation could continue to be considered, but it would proceed without the current procedural and privilege protections afforded a reconciliation bill today. In other words, it would be fully amendable regardless of germaneness, Byrd rule limitations would not apply and there would be no time constraints on debate (currently 20 hours in the Senate).
Read the entire piece here.
Published works by members or staff of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget do not necessarily reflect the views of all members or staff of the Committee.
