In the Senate, Thune resurrects idea of reconciliation

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Roll Call

Posted March 24, 2026 at 6:38pm, Updated at 8:12pm


For Senate leaders, pursuing another budget reconciliation bill this year was once considered a no-go. But in a matter of days, it’s become a distinct possibility. Using the often arduous budgetary maneuver would represent a shift for both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, necessitated by Republican needs to reopen the Department of Homeland Security while passing some of their legislative priorities, key among them a voter ID bill.

But using reconciliation remains an uphill battle, as rank and file resist the idea of a process that would require broad consensus within the GOP. The idea became even more attractive for Senate GOP leaders Monday, after President Donald Trump tied funding DHS — which has been shut down for more than five weeks — to passage of the GOP’s security legislation.

Doing both would represent a herculean task for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who faces both a slim majority and Senate rules requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation. Plan B: passing some of the voter ID bill, nicknamed the SAVE America Act by Republicans, with a reconciliation bill, which would only require a simple majority to pass.

“I think with budget reconciliation, as I’ve said before, you have to have a reason to do it … And we [very] well may,” the South Dakota Republican said Tuesday. He said that inside the Senate Republican Conference, “there’s a lot of support for a budget reconciliation bill.”

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/03/24/in-the-senate-thune-resurrects-idea-of-reconciliation/

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Later in the article, REALITY sets in, which is what prompted most of the "policy riders" to be jettisoned from the Barbaric Butcher Bill -

(snip)

Byrd rule

And it’s unclear which portions of the election bill could be included in a reconciliation bill and would survive a scrub by the chamber’s parliamentarian; provisions that don’t touch upon spending or revenue and are just about policy are usually expunged under the Byrd Rule, which requires reconciliation bills to focus on fiscal issues.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told reporters he would not be willing to override the parliamentarian’s rulings when asked Tuesday.

(snip)

[Walleye]

1. No! No! No. Republicans, please try to govern like Americans.

[maxsolomon]

7. This is the only way major legislation works now.

The Filibuster kills everything else (and it will kill the SAVE Act).

The Dems' Infrastructure Bill was a Reconciliation Bill. I think the ACA was a Reconciliation Bill?

You get 2 shots at it per Congress. Why wouldn't the Repukes use it before they lose their majority?

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. I believe this is a head fake by Thune to get Trump to sign DHS funding

Then he can say “we gave the SAVE act our best shot, but that darned parliamentarian…”

[BumRushDaShow]

3. They have ignored the Parliamentarian in the past

To rescind Califoenia's Clean Air Act/EV provisions through use of the Congressional Review Act - Senate votes to ignore GAO, parliamentarian to end EV rule

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. Thune is on record stating he won't ignore parliamentarian on reconciliation rules. Nt

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Some other GOPers have said the same

But with this crew, never say never if they can find a way to do a carve-out.

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. Well, of course, "trust but verify"

But it seems pretty clear republicans in Congress do not want the SAVE act to pass, as they know it will disenfranchise as many, if not more, of their voters as Dem voters.