In the wake of his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last month, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to deliver on a sweeping conservative agenda, including tax cuts, large-scale deportations, and the dismantling of Biden-era policies.
To advance Trump’s promises, Republican lawmakers are turning to a legislative maneuver called “reconciliation,” which would allow them to pass tax and spending policies with a simple majority, bypassing the 60-vote threshold typically required in the Senate.
According to a Sunday report by NBC News, GOP leaders plan to introduce a budget in early January to lay the groundwork for such a bill, even before Trump takes office. “The reconciliation process bypasses the Senate’s 60-vote threshold for most bills,” NBC reports, “requiring just a majority vote to pass a tax and spending package once per fiscal year.”
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) acknowledged the challenges of uniting Republican lawmakers behind a reconciliation bill, especially with razor-thin margins in both chambers. “It’ll be super challenging,” Tillis told NBC. “The key is going to be addressing all these coalitions that are likely going to threaten an insufficient number of votes unless they get their priorities. … It’s infinitely more complex to get a reconciliation outcome in this cycle out of the House than the Senate.”
Immigration reform is high on the GOP’s list of priorities. Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) is pushing to pass the “conservative immigration package known as HR2 ‘right away’ in the new Congress” and integrate key provisions into the reconciliation process.
However, the GOP faces internal divisions over the cost of implementing these measures. NBC notes, “How much would the GOP pay for, and how much would it add to the rising deficit?” Tillis pointed to Democratic spending initiatives, including the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, as areas ripe for cuts.
Tillis also expressed concern about resistance from House Republicans who demand deficit-neutral policies. “I’ve heard more than three people [in the House] say that they won’t vote for a tax package that’s not fully offset. If so, we’re done,” he explained. “This is where President Trump is going to have to be a very, very important part of the process.”
As Republicans prepare to leverage their legislative majority, the coming months will test their ability to reconcile competing priorities within the party while delivering on Trump’s promises.