Maya MacGuineas: Reconciliation can work if Congress sets priorities and cuts the games

Maya MacGuineas is president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and head of the Campaign to Fix the Debt. She recently wrote an opinion piece for The Hill, an excerpt of which is below. 

Lawmakers are debating how to retool their $6 trillion wish list for their reconciliation package into a $2 trillion package. To reach this more manageable — though still massive — goal, they should prioritize, target and economize, rather than play games as some are trying to do.

First, let’s keep in mind that a $1 trillion, let alone a $2 trillion price tag, is already astronomically large. This is more than we spent to create the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and more than we’ll spend on the entire Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). It comes on the heels of borrowing $6 trillion to fight COVID-19 and at a time when our debt is continuing to climb. And $1 trillion or more can absolutely accomplish a great deal in making important investments in families, health care and climate change. There is no need to play games to achieve the far-reaching legislation supporters are hoping for.

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.