UnderstandingtheRoleoftheSenateParliamentarianinthe
ReconciliationProcess
CongressionalRepublicanshavechosentousetheReconciliationProcessasthemeanstopass
their“AmericanHealthCareAct.”TheReconciliationProcessallowsabilltopasstheSenate
onasimple51-votemajority,becauseitcannotbefilibusteredintheSenate.Butthere’sa
catch–inexchangeforthisprivilege,abillbroughttothefloorunderReconciliationRules
canonlyrelatetothefederalbudget–specifically,revenues,spending,orthedebtceiling.
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CongressionalRepublicansassumethatnoDemocratswillassistintheeffortto
repealObamacare.ThecorollarytothatassumptionisthatSenateDemocrats
wouldusethefilibustertoblockanyrepeallegislationSenateRepublicans
attempttoconsider.
Onewaytoavoidafilibusteristouseaprocessknownas“reconciliation”to
bringlegislationtothefloor.
TheCongressionalBudgetActof1974createdthe“reconciliationprocess.”The
processallowsasimplemajorityoftheSenatetoproceedtoconsiderationofa
budgetbill,withdebatelimitedto20hoursandnoopportunityfortheminority
tofilibuster.
BecausetheGOPcongressionalleadershipisplanningtobringthebilltothe
flooroftheSenateunderthereconciliationprocess,theyareunwillingtoinsert
itemsintothelegislationthat,theysaytheybelieve,theSenateParliamentarian
coulddeemineligiblefortheprotectionandinsistonstrippingfromthe
legislation.
TheSenateParliamentarianisanunelectedSenatestaffer.UndertheRules
oftheSenate,theParliamentariancanofferinterpretationsoftheRulesto
thePresidingOfficer.Thereisnorequirement,otherthantradition,that
thePresidingOfficerfollowtheadviceofferedbytheParliamentarian.
IfthePresidingOfficerchoosestoignoretheadviceoftheParliamentarian,an
opponentofthelegislationcouldraiseaPointofOrder,challengingtherulingof
thePresidingOfficer.
TooverturnaRulingofthePresidingOfficeronabillbroughttothefloorunder
reconciliationrules,opponentswouldhavetomuster60votes.
Thereare52RepublicanSenators.Aslongas41ofthemvotedtosustainthe
RulingofthePresidingOfficer,thechallengewouldfail.
Toourknowledge,noPresidingOfficerhasignoredtheadviceofthe
Parliamentarianinmorethan40years.Butjustbecauseithasn’tbeendone
doesn’tmeanitshouldn’tbedone.
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