The decision, read by Schumer’s office, represents a major expansion of the reconciliation process that allows for the approval of some projects with a simple majority in the Senate. This reconciliation stretch enables any party with full control of Washington to theoretically use the tool as often as it wants, if Schumer decides to continue using the budget process to pass laws like Biden’s infrastructure plan or an immigration reform, which he doesn’t did it yet done.
The congressman’s opinion “is an important step in making this key path available to Democrats, if necessary,” Schumer’s spokesman said in a statement on Monday.
If he continues on this path, Schumer’s never-before-tried maneuver will certainly attract complaints from Republicans, who could set up the budget process if they regained a majority in the chambers and the White House.
Schumer asked the parliamentarian for permission to review the 2021 fiscal budget resolution that Democrats have already implemented to approve Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion pandemic aid package, in hopes of unlocking a second attempt at reconciliation. If Democrats choose to reuse this budgetary measure, they will have at least three – and possibly more – opportunities to use reconciliation to approve a number of their priorities before the midterm elections.
Perhaps the biggest reason Democrats may not want to use the procedure repeatedly is the sheer pain inflicted by a process that forces members to spend hours and hours on the floor in both chambers, as well as two Senate voting marathons in which any one can force a roll call vote on any amendment of his choice.
Although Democratic leaders have not officially decided to exclude Republicans in pursuit of Biden’s infrastructure ambitions, minority leader Mitch McConnell promised that none of his 50 Republican conference members would support Biden’s new spending bill. Without Republican votes, Democrats need to rely on constant support from within the caucus, which is far from guaranteed.
For example, Biden has promised to pay in full for this package in the next 15 years with a panoply of tax increases – assuming that the increases will not be reversed in the years to come. This includes raising the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%. But at least one moderate Democrat, Senator Manchin, has already signaled that he wants a lower corporate tax.
Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.