Politics

Dems Set Themselves up to Use Budget Reconciliation on a Jobs Bill

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

Remember that “controversial” procedure tactic known as budget reconciliation Senate Democrats used to break a Republican filibuster and pass an amendment to the health care reform bill? Well, the Democrats are setting themselves up to use budget reconciliation again next year. This time it won’t be for helping people get health care, but for helping people get jobs. The Hill reports:

The fast-track reconciliation instructions in Senate Democrats' budget resolution are likely to be used to advance tax legislation.

The budget drafted by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) allows the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee to move 'jobs legislation' through the reconciliation procedure, meaning with a simple majority rather than 60 votes.

Asked whether it would be used to extend expiring tax policies, such as the George W. Bush-era tax breaks for the middle class, Conrad said on Wednesday that it would be up to the Finance Committee to choose which jobs bill to push through using reconciliation.

Full post as published by Open Congress on April 24, 2010 (boomark / email).