Republicans denounce fiscal reconciliation in stimulus talks

WASHINGTON – Since Democrats announced they would use a complex set of budget rules to allow them to push President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion stimulus package through the Senate, Republicans have been screaming at being kicked out of the process.

But in the more than four decades of history of the budget reconciliation process, the leaders of both parties have taken the opportunity to implement their most ambitious budget plans, almost always despite strong objections from the minority party.

Since 1980, 21 measures have become law by reconciliation. The process allows certain measures set out in the annual budget bill to become law with a simple majority vote, rather than being the subject of a filibuster, which takes 60 votes to overcome. Naturally, members of the minority party are reluctant to use it – until they have regained power.

“Is there something wrong with ‘majority rules’? Former New Hampshire Republican Senator Judd Gregg once spoke about the reconciliation process when his party controlled the Senate. “I do not think so.”

Here’s a look at some of the times the process was used – and what members of both sides had to say about it at the time.

2017: Republicans used it to pass Trump’s $ 1.5 trillion tax cut and to try to repeal the health care law.

After the election of Donald J. Trump in 2016, Republicans who controlled the House and Senate did not regret their intention to use the reconciliation process to pass a huge tax cut and roll back the law. affordable care.

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, then majority leader, gave an overview of the decision before any attempt was made to garner Democratic support, predicting there would be none.

“We will have to use reconciliation” for taxes, he said in 2017, upholding his decision in the face of Democratic complaints by saying the minority party was “not interested in responding” to Republicans’ priorities.

“I don’t think it will be 1986, when you had a bipartisan effort to clean up the code,” Mr McConnell said then, referring to a major tax overhaul enacted with Republican and Democratic backing.

The effort to repeal parts of the health care law ultimately failed when Republicans were unable to rally 50 of their own members to pass it against the Democratic opposition. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, called the effort “a totally inappropriate use of the budget reconciliation process.”

The party also spoke out against the use of the tax reduction process.

“We saw the problem of tackling it alone with health care,” then-minority Senator Chuck Schumer of New York told reporters. “If they decide to take Democrats out of the process and do it on their own, the same will likely await them.”

But this time the Republicans were successful. The tax legislation came into effect in December 2017, following unanimous Democratic opposition.

2010: Democrats resisted its use to pass the Affordable Care Act, but resorted to it for crucial aspects.

After President Barack Obama took office by promising a major overhaul of healthcare, Democrats who controlled the Senate allowed themselves the option of using reconciliation to force it, but resisted, fearing that it would practically be difficult and politically toxic.

Instead, they embarked on a series of painstaking negotiations aimed at securing 60 votes in favor of the measure, which ultimately culminated in Christmas Eve 2009.

But before they could finish the bill and send it to Mr. Obama for signature, Democrats lost their superiority in the Senate after Scott Brown, a Republican senator, won an election in early 2010 to take the left seat. vacant by the death of Senator Edward. Mr. Kennedy from Massachusetts.

So they activated their built-in security, using reconciliation to pass crucial revisions to the Affordable Care Act, including changes to Medicare prescription drug coverage and tax provisions.

Republicans protested.

“Reconciliation has never, never been abused as it is today,” said then-Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, then senior Republican on the House budget committee.

2001 and 2003: Republicans used it to enact Bush’s tax cuts.

After President George W. Bush took office in 2001, Republicans used reconciliation to advance the $ 1.35 trillion tax cut he had campaigned on.

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa and then chairman of the Finance Committee, said at the time that since his party did not have 60 votes in favor of the measure, the process was “like it will have to be done to do it at all. “

The same was true in 2003, when Republicans mustered an additional $ 350 billion in tax cuts through Congress through reconciliation. Democrats were outraged, refusing even to allow Senate leaders to correct a clerical error in the bill to make their point.

Senator Kent Conrad of South Dakota, then the top Democrat on the Budget Committee, said Republicans were trying to “abuse reconciliation.”

1981: Ronald Reagan used it to reduce the role of the federal government.

President Ronald Reagan has used the reconciliation process to cut the federal budget and to change or repeal significant parts of New Deal and Great Society policies adopted by Democratic administrations.

Some conservative Democrats – feverishly exercised by the president and prone to budget cuts – joined Republicans in backing the package. But other Democrats have accused their Republican counterparts of hijacking the legislative process to speed sweeping changes that deserve more attention.

“We are dealing with over 250 programs without hearing, without deliberation, without debate,” said Representative Leon E. Panetta, Democrat of California, who was on the budget committee at the time.