Reconciliation 3.0
Here we go again...
The MAGA-controlled House of Representatives has teed up another run at reconciliation, the process that allows Congress to pass certain legislation with a party-line vote. Recall that the GOP-controlled Congress already has two reconciliation bills under its belt: last summer’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and June’s narrower package that funneled an extra $70 billion to the President’s mass deportation machine.
Below, we’ll walk through the details we know so far. For a broader overview of the reconciliation process, check out Women Forward’s Guide to Reconciliation.
What will be in this next reconciliation bill?
Yesterday (July 15), House Republicans released a budget blueprint directing specific House committees to write parts of the reconciliation bill, dictating how much each of those committees can change government spending or revenue, and setting a deadline by which the committee must share its part of the bill with the House Budget Committee.
Here’s a cheat sheet for those instructions:
In telling specific committees to write parts of the bill, the budget resolution defines the universe of topics the bill can cover.
The final bill is only going to include policies that fall under those committees’ jurisdiction. Here’s a good summary of every congressional committee’s jurisdiction.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will appear before Senate appropriators next week, during which they’ll presumably share more about how they’d use the funding in this reconciliation bill.
Here are some high-level takeaways from yesterday’s budget resolution:
The biggest chunk of money by far goes to the Armed Services, likely meaning this bill would primarily fund the war on Iran. Recall that this war— which has killed more than 7,300 people in Iran and Lebanon and 14 U.S. servicemembers — has not been authorized by Congress, in contravention of the Constitution.
The $10 billion for House Administration likely means money for states’ voter suppression efforts. At least, that’s what reporting suggests. While the broader Trump-backed SAVE America Act can’t pass muster under reconciliation’s strict rules, this funding could be an effort to placate that bill’s loudest backers. Whether that effort works is yet to be seen.
The tax and health care committees aren’t mentioned. Neither are the major immigration committees. The absence of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce means we won’t see major health care and tax changes in this bill. The same goes for the big immigration committees, Homeland Security, and Judiciary — without them, we won’t see another huge infusion into immigration enforcement agencies.
It’s not clear if new spending will be offset. Failure to offset new spending could present a problem for fiscally conservative hardliners — but it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker. It could just take Republicans extra time to navigate those tensions.
Where are Republicans in the reconciliation process?
The resolution introduced yesterday has yet to come before the House or Senate — the real first step in kicking off this process.
House Republicans hope to mark this resolution up in the Budget Committee TODAY (July 16) and get it to the House Floor next week, but no word on the Senate’s plans.
The graphic below gets into the steps still ahead:
Can House Republicans actually get this done?
That’s a whole other question.
House Republicans can only afford three defections on the party-line budget outline. And some Republicans have already blasted the spending plan.
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina condemned it in a social media post as “$95 billion in new deficit spending, no offsets, and not one provision to lower the cost of living.”
Ohio Republican Warren Davidson said the plan was likely dead on arrival for lack of spending cuts.
The voter documentation portion of the bill is an attempt to mollify Trump and hardline conservatives in the party who want to see Congress require proof of citizenship to vote. It is not yet clear if restive House conservatives will settle for the grants provision and vote for the budget when it comes to the House floor next week.
Can this pass Senate muster?
That remains to be seen.
The likely grants program in the bill is a watered-down version of the Trump-backed SAVE America Act, which the president has demanded for months. Trump has said he will not sign any legislation from Congress until it is passed.
Democrats in the Senate have blocked the voter documentation effort because the requirements will prevent citizens without passports and easy access to birth certificates from voting, while creating implementation snarls at the polls. There are also several Republicans in the Senate who are opposed to the SAVE America Act. Four Republican Senators — Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), and Thom Tillis (North Carolina) — have all voted with Democrats to defeat the SAVE America Act in the Senate.
Due to Senate rules, a measure requiring states to implement voter identification likely cannot be included in a fast-track budget bill that must relate to fiscal matters. And depending on how this is all written, the SAVE portions of the reconciliation bill may get cut by the Parliamentarian.
Take Action
Reconciliation 3.0 is not a done deal. House Republicans can only lose three votes, and this fight is winnable if we make noise now. Here’s where to start.
1. Call Congress. Tell them: no more money for Trump’s illegal wars.
This bill would primarily fund an unauthorized war on Iran that Congress never voted to approve. Call your representatives and senators and demand they vote no on any reconciliation package that funds it.
Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your representative, then call back and ask for each of your members of Congress. You can find who represents you in the House and Senate at this link.
Call script:
“Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent from [CITY, STATE]. I’m calling to urge [Representative/Senator LAST NAME] to vote NO on any reconciliation bill that sends more money to fund Trump’s illegal, unauthorized war on Iran. Congress never voted to authorize this war, and the American people don’t support paying for it. I’m asking [him/her/them] to stand up for congressional authority and vote against this funding. Thank you.”
2. Write a letter to the editor.
Local papers carry weight with members of Congress, especially in swing districts. A short, clear letter connecting reconciliation spending to real costs for real people (higher deficits, funding an unauthorized war, no relief on the cost of living) can shift the conversation at home.
Keep it tight: 150 to 200 words, one clear ask, and your own voice. Name your representative and Senators directly and tell them how you expect them to vote. Most papers list submission guidelines on their website’s opinion or letters page; check word limits before you send. You can check out more resources here.
3. Register voters who will fight for people, not for Trump.
The best check on this kind of reckless spending is electing members of Congress who answer to their constituents, not to the President. Help make sure the people around you (family, neighbors, coworkers) are registered and ready to vote for candidates who will put people over Trump’s agenda.
Check your own registration and find your state’s registration tools at iwillvote.com. If you know someone who has moved recently, turned 18, or has never registered, send them the link today. Registration deadlines vary by state, so don’t wait.
This weekend is also the Good Trouble Lives on Weekend of Action. You can channel your outrage through action all weekend long. Check out this link to find what is happening near you.