Order Code RL30458
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
The Budget Reconciliation Process:
Timing of Legislative Action
Updated April 7, 2005
Robert Keith
Specialist in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service { The Library of Congress

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The Budget Reconciliation Process:
Timing of Legislative Action
Summary
The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure under the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that operates as an adjunct to the annual budget
resolution process. The chief purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance
Congress’s ability to change current law in order to bring revenue and spending
levels into conformity with the policies of the budget resolution. Accordingly,
reconciliation probably is the most potent budget enforcement tool available to
Congress for a large portion of the budget.
Reconciliation is a two-stage process in which reconciliation instructions are
included in the budget resolution, directing the appropriate committees to develop
legislation achieving the desired budgetary outcomes, and the resultant legislation
(usually incorporated into an omnibus bill) is considered under expedited procedures
in the House and Senate.
Reconciliation was first used by the House and Senate in calendar year 1980 for
FY1981. As an optional procedure, it has not been used every year. During the past
25 years, 16 reconciliation measures were enacted into law and three were vetoed.
The House and Senate have each passed a FY2006 budget resolution containing
reconciliation directives; final conference action on the measure is pending.
Under a revised timetable in effect since FY1987, the annual budget resolution
is scheduled for final adoption by the House and Senate by April 15. The current
timetable prescribes June 15 as the deadline for completing action on any required
reconciliation legislation, but there is no explicit requirement to that effect.
The record of experience with reconciliation legislation over the past 25 years
indicates considerable variation in the time needed to process such measures, from
the date the reconciliation instructions take effect (upon final adoption of the budget
resolution) until the resultant reconciliation legislation is approved or vetoed by the
President. The interval for the 19 reconciliation measures ranged from a low of 27
days (for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) to a high of 299 days (for
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983). On average, the process was
completed in just over four months (123 days), more than twice the amount of time
contemplated by the congressional budget process timetable.
With regard to the use of reconciliation by congressional session, action on 10
such measures was completed during the first session, and on nine such measures
during the second session. Congress and the President have shown the ability to
initiate the reconciliation process and conclude it reasonably early in the same
session; in seven years, reconciliation measures were enacted or vetoed before the
end of August. On the other hand, the reconciliation process can be lengthy and
drawn out; in four years, reconciliation measures were not enacted or vetoed until
December (and in two other instances, carried over to April of the following year).
This report will be updated as developments warrant.

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Contents
Overview of the Budget Reconciliation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Timing of Legislative Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Time of Year That Reconciliation Is Scheduled to Occur . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Overall Record of Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Adoption of Reconciliation Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
House and Senate Action on Omnibus Reconciliation Legislation . . . . 9
List of Figures
Figure 1. Number of Days Needed to Process Reconciliation Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
List of Tables
Table 1. Budget Resolutions and Resultant Reconciliation Acts:
FY1981-FY2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Table 2. Dates of Enactment or Veto of Reconciliation Measures
by Session of Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Table 3. Adoption of Reconciliation Instructions
in Budget Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Table 4. Dates of House and Senate Action on Reconciliation Legislation:
FY1981-FY2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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The Budget Reconciliation Process:
Timing of Legislative Action
The budget reconciliation process is one of the chief tools used by Congress
during the past 25 years to implement major changes in budget policy. Following a
brief overview of the budget reconciliation process, this report provides information
on the timing of House and Senate action on reconciliation measures.
Overview of the Budget Reconciliation Process
Under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (P.L.
93-344, as amended), the House and Senate are required to adopt at least one budget
resolution each year.1 The budget resolution, which takes the form of a concurrent
resolution and is not sent to the President for his approval or veto, serves as a
congressional statement in broad terms regarding the appropriate revenue, spending,
and debt policies, as well as a guide to the subsequent consideration of legislation
implementing such policies at agency and programmatic levels. Budget resolution
policies are enforced through a variety of mechanisms, including points of order.2
The House and Senate Budget Committees, which were created by the 1974 act,
exercise exclusive jurisdiction over budget resolutions and are responsible for
monitoring their enforcement.
In developing a budget resolution, the House and Senate Budget Committees
rely on baseline budget projections prepared by the Congressional Budget Office
(CBO). A budget resolution typically reflects many different assumptions regarding
legislative action expected to occur during a session that would cause revenue and
spending levels to be changed from baseline amounts. However, most revenue and
direct spending3 occurs automatically each year under permanent law; therefore, if
1 Beginning with the inception of the congressional budget process in 1975 (for FY1976),
the House and Senate have met this requirement every year except in 1998 (for FY1999),
2002 (for FY2003), and 2004 (for FY2005). For background information on budget
resolutions, see CRS Report RL30297, Congressional Budget Resolutions: Selected
Statistics and Information Guide, by Bill Heniff Jr.
2 The congressional budget process, and its enforcement procedures, are discussed in more
detail in CRS Report 98-721 GOV, Introduction to the Federal Budget Process, by Robert
Keith and Allen Schick.
3 Direct spending is provided in substantive law under the jurisdiction of the legislative
committees, in contrast to discretionary spending, which is provided in annual
appropriations acts under the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees. Most direct spending programs are entitlements, such as Social Security,
(continued...)

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CRS-2
the committees with jurisdiction over the revenue and direct spending programs do
not report legislation to carry out the budget resolution policies by amending existing
law, revenue and direct spending for these programs likely will continue without
change.
The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure that operates as an
adjunct to the budget resolution process. The chief purpose of the reconciliation
process is to enhance Congress’s ability to change current law in order to bring
revenue and spending levels into conformity with the policies of the budget
resolution. Accordingly, reconciliation probably is the most potent budget
enforcement tool available to Congress for a large portion of the budget.
Reconciliation is a two-stage process. First, reconciliation instructions are
included in the budget resolution, directing the appropriate committees to develop
legislation achieving the desired budgetary outcomes. The instructed committees
submit their legislative recommendations to their respective Budget Committees by
the deadline prescribed in the budget resolution; the Budget Committees incorporate
them into an omnibus budget reconciliation bill without making any substantive
revisions.
The second step involves consideration of the resultant reconciliation legislation
by the House and Senate under expedited procedures. Among other things, debate
in the Senate on any reconciliation measure is limited to 20 hours (and 10 hours on
a conference report) and amendments must be germane. The House Rules
Committee typically sets limitations on debate and the offering of amendments
during consideration of reconciliation measures in the House.
In cases where only one committee has been instructed, the process allows that
committee to report its reconciliation legislation directly to its parent chamber, thus
bypassing the Budget Committee. In some years, budget resolutions included
reconciliation instructions that afforded the House and Senate the option of
considering two or more different reconciliation bills. Once the reconciliation
legislation called for in the budget resolution has been approved or vetoed by the
President, the process is concluded; Congress cannot develop another reconciliation
bill in the wake of a veto without first adopting another budget resolution containing
reconciliation instructions.
Reconciliation was first used by the House and Senate during the administration
of President Jimmy Carter, in calendar year 1980 for FY1981.4 As an optional
procedure, it has not been used every year. During the period covering budget
3 (...continued)
Medicare, federal civilian and military retirement, and unemployment compensation.
4 The Senate considered a revenue-reduction bill for FY1976 (H.R. 5559) under
reconciliation procedures in December 1975. It was initiated under a second budget
resolution for that fiscal year and was not considered to be a reconciliation bill in the House;
the bill did not become law. This report presents data on the timing of action on
reconciliation measures initiated in conjunction with budget resolutions scheduled for
adoption in the spring and thus excludes Senate consideration of H.R. 5559 in 1975.

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CRS-3
resolutions for FY1981-FY2005, 16 omnibus reconciliation measures were enacted
into law and three were vetoed (see Table 1).
Table 1. Budget Resolutions and Resultant
Reconciliation Acts: FY1981-FY2005
Fiscal
Budget
Date
Resultant Reconciliation Act(s)
Year
Resolution
Enacted
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980 (P.L.
12-05-80
96-499)
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
08-13-81
1981 (P.L. 97-35)
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of
09-03-82
1982 (P.L. 97-248)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
09-08-82
1982 (P.L. 97-253)
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
04-18-84
1983 (P.L. 98-270)
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
Consolidated Omnibus Budget
04-07-86
Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-272)
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
10-21-86
1986 (P.L. 99-509)
1988
S.Con.Res. 93
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
12-22-87
1987 (P.L. 100-203)
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
12-19-89
1989 (P.L. 101-239)
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
11-05-90
1990 (P.L. 101-508)
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
08-10-93
1993 (P.L. 103-66)
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
Balanced Budget Act of 1995
12-06-95
(vetoed)
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
Personal Responsibility and Work
08-22-96
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-193)
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
08-05-97
(P.L. 105-33)
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
08-05-97
(P.L. 105-34)
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999
09-23-99
(H.R. 2488)
(vetoed)

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CRS-4
Fiscal
Budget
Date
Resultant Reconciliation Act(s)
Year
Resolution
Enacted
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of
08-05-00
2000 (H.R. 4810)
(vetoed)
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
Economic Growth and Tax Relief
06-07-01
Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16)
2004
H.Con.Res. 95
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation
05-28-03
Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-27)
In some years, reconciliation was proposed by one or both chambers, but not
activated. The FY1999 budget resolution passed by the House (H.Con.Res. 284,
105th Congress), for example, included reconciliation directives to nine House
committees; the Senate-passed budget resolution (S.Con.Res. 86) did not contain
reconciliation directives. Ultimately, the House and Senate did not reach final
agreement on the FY1999 budget resolution and reconciliation procedures were not
used that year.
From 1980 into the 1990s, reconciliation was used to reduce the deficit through
spending reductions, revenue increases, or a combination of the two. In recent years,
however, reconciliation has been used to reduce revenues and, in a few instances, to
increase spending levels in particular areas. With regard to spending reductions, the
reconciliation process for the most part has applied to direct spending programs and
not discretionary spending programs. In past years, the reconciliation process
sometimes was used to increase the statutory debt limit (which usually is addressed
through different procedures); in 2000, efforts were made in the reconciliation
process to reduce the debt held by the public.5
Timing of Legislative Action
Time of Year That Reconciliation Is Scheduled to Occur. As
originally framed, the 1974 Congressional Budget Act required the adoption of two
budget resolutions each year. By May 15 of each year, the House and Senate were
scheduled to complete action on a budget resolution setting advisory targets; by
September 15, just before the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, the two
chambers were scheduled to adopt a budget resolution setting binding limits. It was
contemplated that reconciliation would be used in conjunction with the second
budget resolution, as a device to make any “last minute” changes in pending
legislation or current law necessary to bring the budget resolution policies to fruition.
The 1974 act prescribed a 10-day period to accomplish reconciliation, requiring that
the process be concluded by September 25.
After several years’ experience with the congressional budget process,
congressional leaders realized that reconciliation could not be used to make major
5 For more information on this topic, see CRS Report RL30714, Congressional Action on
Revenue and Debt Reconciliation Measures in 2000, by Robert Keith, and CRS Report
RS21519, Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public Debt Limit: A Brief Overview,
by Robert Keith and Bill Heniff Jr.

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CRS-5
changes in revenue and direct spending laws and still fit within such a compressed
time frame and occur so late in the session. Therefore, when the House and Senate
first employed reconciliation in 1980, it was initiated in the first budget resolution,
adopted in the late spring. The following year, reconciliation again was used in
connection with the first budget resolution. Shortly thereafter, the House and Senate
abandoned altogether the practice of adopting a second budget resolution.
These changes in congressional practice were formally incorporated into the
1974 Congressional Budget Act several years later under amendments made by the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of P.L. 99-
177). These changes, which first took effect for FY1987 and still remain in effect,
require the annual adoption of only one budget resolution and authorize the inclusion
of reconciliation instructions in it. The deadline for the adoption of the budget
resolution was advanced by one month to April 15. Under the revised timetable, two
months were allowed for reconciliation; a deadline of June 15 was established for the
completion of action on any required reconciliation legislation.6 To enforce this
deadline in the House, a prohibition against the consideration of a July adjournment
resolution if reconciliation is not completed was placed in Section 310(f) of the 1974
act; the Senate has no comparable provision.
Overall Record of Experience. The record of experience with
reconciliation legislation over the past 24 years indicates considerable variation in the
time needed to process such measures, from the date the reconciliation instructions
take effect (upon final adoption of the budget resolution) until the resultant
reconciliation legislation is approved or vetoed by the President. As Figure 1 shows,
the processing interval for the 16 enacted and 3 vetoed reconciliation measures
ranged from a low of 27 days (for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990)
to a high of 299 days (for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983). On
average, completing the process took about four months (123 days), more than twice
the amount of time contemplated by the timetable in the 1974 Congressional Budget
Act.
With regard to the use of reconciliation by congressional session, Congress has
not strongly favored one session over another. As Table 2 shows, action on 10 such
measures was completed during the first session, and on nine such measures during
the second session. It should be noted, however, that two of the measures (the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983 and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1985) enacted in April of the second session were carry-over
business from the prior session. Consequently, congressional action on 12 of the 18
reconciliation measures was concentrated in the first session.
Congress and the President have shown the ability to initiate the reconciliation
process and conclude it reasonably early in the same session; in six years,
6 An explicit requirement that Congress complete action on any necessary reconciliation
measure was established in Section 310(f) of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act by Section
201(b) (at 99 Stat. 1040) of the 1985 Balanced Budget Act. Section 13210(2) of the Budget
Enforcement Act of 1990 (Title XIII of P.L. 101-508) deleted this requirement from Section
310(f), but left unchanged the reference to the deadline in the general timetable set forth in
Section 300.

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CRS-6
reconciliation measures were enacted or vetoed before the end of August. On the
other hand, the reconciliation process can be lengthy and drawn out; in four years,
reconciliation measures were not enacted or vetoed until December (and in two other
instances carried over until April of the following year).
Figure 1. Number of Days Needed to Process Reconciliation Acts
ORA of 1980
176
OBRA of 1981
84
TEFRA of 1982
72
OBRA of 1982
77
OBRA of 1983
299
COBRA of 1985
249
OBRA of 1986
116
OBRA of 1987
180
OBRA of 1989
215
OBRA of 1990
27
OBRA of 1993
131
BBA of 1995
160
PRWORA of 1996
70
BBA of 1997
61
TRA of 1997
61
TRRA of 1999
161
MTRRA of 2000
114
EGTRRA of 2001
28
JGTRRA of 2003
47
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Number of Days
Notes: the “number of days” refers to the interval from adoption of the budget resolution
to the enactment or veto of the reconciliation measure.
ORA
=
Omnibus Reconciliation Act;
OBRA
=
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act;
TEFRA
=
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act;
COBRA
=
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act;
PRWORA =
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act;
BBA
=
Balanced Budget Act;
TRA
=
Taxpayer Relief Act;
TRRA
=
Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act;
MTRRA
=
Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act;
EGTRRA =
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act; and
JGTRRA
=
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act.

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CRS-7
Table 2. Dates of Enactment or Veto of
Reconciliation Measures by Session of Congress
Congress
First Session
Second Session
96th
—
12-05-80
97th
08-13-81
09-03-82
09-08-82
98th
—
04-18-84
99th
—
04-07-86
10-21-86
100th
12-22-87
—
101st
12-19-89
11-05-90
102nd
—
—
103rd
08-10-93
—
104th
12-06-95 a
08-22-96
105th
08-05-97
—
08-05-97
106th
09-23-99 a
08-05-00 a
107th
06-07-01
—
108th
05-28-03
—
Number of
10
9
measures
a The reconciliation act was vetoed by the President.
Adoption of Reconciliation Instructions. During the past 25 years,
Congress adopted 17 budget resolutions containing reconciliation instructions (see
Table 3). The House and Senate adopted four of these budget resolutions (for
FY1994, FY2000, FY2001, and FY2004) on time, but most of the others were
adopted well behind schedule. As Table 3 shows, most of the budget resolutions that
contained reconciliation instructions were adopted in April, May, or June, but one
was adopted as late as August and another in October. During years when
reconciliation was used, budget resolutions were adopted, on average, about 53 days
after the prescribed deadline.
Timely adoption of the budget resolution can facilitate timely enactment of
reconciliation legislation, just as tardy adoption of the budget resolution can delay
completion of the reconciliation process. For example, the FY2002 budget resolution
was adopted only 25 days after the deadline and the reconciliation process for that
year was completed in another 28 days (compared to the average of 123 days).
Conversely, the FY1986 budget resolution was adopted 108 days after the deadline
and the reconciliation process took another 249 days to complete.

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CRS-8
Nonetheless, timely or tardy adoption of a budget resolution does not necessarily
ensure that the reconciliation process will proceed quickly or slowly. For example,
in two of the four years that the budget resolution was adopted on time (FY1994 and
FY2000), 131 days and 161 days, respectively, were needed to complete action on
reconciliation legislation.
Another factor that can affect how quickly or slowly reconciliation legislation
is processed is the amount of time given to committees to prepare their reconciliation
recommendations. As Table 3 indicates, the initial deadline for committee
submissions, included in the budget resolution, ranged from about one week to five
months after adoption of the budget resolution; the longer deadlines were used
largely to accommodate the August recess. In some cases, the submission deadline
was extended one or more times. Over the 25-year period, committees generally
have complied with submission deadlines.
Table 3. Adoption of Reconciliation Instructions
in Budget Resolutions
Number of
Fiscal
Budget
Date
Initial Deadline for
Days After
Year
Resolution
Adopted
Committee Submissions
Deadline a
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
06-12-80
58
June 20
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
05-21-81
36
June 12
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
06-23-82
69
August 1 (House)
July 20 (Senate)
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
06-23-83
69
July 22
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
08-01-85
108
September 27
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
06-27-86
73
July 25
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
06-24-87
70
July 28
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
05-18-89
33
July 15
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
10-09-90
177
October 15
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
04-01-93
0
May 14 (House)
June 18 (Senate)
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
06-29-95
75
September 22
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
06-13-96
59
June 13/21 (House/Senate)
July 18/24 (House/Senate)
Sept. 6/18 (House/Senate)
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
06-05-97
51
June 13
June 14/20 (House/Senate)
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
04-14-99
0
July 16 (House)
July 23 (Senate)

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CRS-9
Number of
Fiscal
Budget
Date
Initial Deadline for
Days After
Year
Resolution
Adopted
Committee Submissions
Deadline a
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
04-13-00
0
July 14 (first bill)
September 13 (second bill)
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
05-10-01
25
May 18
2004
H.Con.Res. 95
04-11-03
0
May 8
a Beginning with FY1987, the deadline for the adoption of the budget resolution was
changed to April 15; prior to that fiscal year, the deadline was May 15.
House and Senate Action on Omnibus Reconciliation Legislation.
The House and Senate completed action on 19 different budget reconciliation bills
during the past 25 years; 16 of them were enacted into law and three were vetoed.
(In a few instances, the text of one or more other measures considered separately
eventually was incorporated into an omnibus budget reconciliation bill.) During the
second session of the 106th Congress, the House and Senate passed the Marriage Tax
Relief Reconciliation Act of 2000, but it was vetoed by President Clinton. The
House passed five other reconciliation measures during the session, but the Senate
did not act on any of them.7
Table 4 provides information on the dates of initial consideration by the House
and Senate of these measures, as well as the dates that the two chambers acted on the
relevant conference reports. As the table shows, the Senate devoted more than twice
as many days (64 days) to initial consideration of these measures than did the House
(27days). Initial Senate consideration of these measures ranged from two to eight
days, while House consideration took one or two days, except in 1989 (when the
House considered the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 for six days).
Of the 123 days needed, on average, to develop, consider, and enact into law (or
veto) a reconciliation bill, more than half were required to secure initial passage in
the House and Senate. The remaining days were taken up by conference meetings,
adoption of the conference report, enrollment of the legislation, and consideration
and approval by the President.
The interval between adoption of the budget resolution and enactment into law
(or veto) took more than the average of 123 days for seven of the reconciliation laws.
Although the timing of action on these measures is explained by many factors, the
following were some of the major controversies associated with each:
! Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980 — child nutrition programs,
cost-of-living adjustments for federal retirees, mortgage subsidy
bonds, and the crude oil windfall profits tax;
! Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983 — aggregate levels
of spending reductions and revenue increases;
7 For more information on these measures, see CRS Report RL30714, Congressional Action
on Revenue and Debt Reconciliation Measures in 2000, ibid.

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CRS-10
! Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 —
trade policy, Superfund cleanup tax, and tobacco price supports;
! Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 — the “fairness
doctrine” for broadcasters, Rural Electrification Administration loan
prepayments, a nuclear waste disposal site, and corporate tax
changes;
! Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 — reduction of the
capital gains tax and repeal of the 1988 Medicare Catastrophic
Coverage Act;
! Balanced Budget Act of 1995 — Medicare, Medicaid, student
loans, nutrition programs, and the Earned Income Tax Credit; and
! Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999 — aggregate level of
revenue reductions and triggering of a sequester in direct spending
programs.
In addition, the general inclusion of “extraneous matter” complicated and
delayed action on these measures, especially after the Senate adopted in 1985 a strict
rule, known as the “Byrd rule,” to curb the practice of including such matter.8
8 For more information on this topic, see CRS Report RL30862, The Budget Reconciliation
Process: The Senate’s “Byrd Rule,” by Robert Keith.

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80
81
82
82
85
85
86
86
86
erence
03-
13-
19-
18-
19-
20-
14-
18-
17-
——-
onf
12-
08-
08-
08-
12-
12-
03-
03-
10-
C
80
80
80
81
81
81
81
81
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
83
83
84
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
86
86
86
FY1981-FY2005
Senate Action
30-
23-
17-
22-
23-
24-
25-
13-
19-
20-
21-
22-
23-
04-
05-
11-
16-
18-
05-
15-
16-
22-
23-
24-
12-
13-
14-
19-
20-
25-
Initial
06-
07-
09-
06-
06-
06-
06-
07-
07-
07-
07-
07-
07-
08-
08-
08-
11-
11-
04-
10-
10-
10-
10-
10-
11-
11-
11-
09-
09-
09-
80
81
82
82
82
85
85
85
86
86
86
86
erence
03-
31-
19-
17-
18-
05-
19-
20-
06-
18-
20-
17-
——-
onf
12-
07-
08-
08-
08-
12-
12-
12-
03-
03-
03-
10-
C
House Action
80
81
81
81
82
83
85
85
86
04-
25-
26-
15-
10-
25-
24-
31-
24-
11
Initial
09-
06-
06-
12-
08-
10-
10-
10-
09-
CRS-
tion on Reconciliation Legislation:
c
bers
Bill
Num
H.R. 7765
S. 2885
S. 2939
H.R. 3982
S. 1377
H.R. 4961
H.R. 6955
S. 2774
H.R. 4169
S. 2062
H.R. 3500
H.R. 3128
S. 1730
H.R. 5300
S. 2706
et
ct of
ct
ct of 1981
ct of 1982
ct of 1982
ct of 1983
nibus Budg
ct of 1985
ct of 1986
et
A
et
et
et
econciliation A
and Fiscal
econciliation A
R
nibus R
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
m
econciliation A
ax Equity
esponsibility
econciliation A
econciliation A
econciliation A
econciliation A
O
1980
Om
R
T
R
Om
R
Om
R
Consolidated Om
R
Om
R
l
Table 4. Dates of House and Senate A
Fisca
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1986
1987

---

87
89
90
93
95
96
97
97
99
erence
22-
21-
27-
06-
17-
01-
31-
31-
05-
onf
12-
11-
10-
08-
11-
08-
07-
07-
08-
C
87
87
89
89
90
90
93
93
95
95
95
95
96
96
96
96
97
97
97
97
97
97
99
99
99
Senate Action
09-
10-
12-
13-
17-
18-
23-
24-
25-
26-
27-
28-
18-
19-
22-
23-
23-
24-
25-
25-
26-
27-
28-
29-
30-
Initial
12-
12-
10-
10-
10-
10-
06-
06-
10-
10-
10-
10-
07-
07-
07-
07-
06-
06-
06-
06-
06-
06-
07-
07-
07-
87
89
90
93
95
95
96
97
97
99
erence
21-
21-
26-
05-
17-
20-
31-
30-
31-
05-
onf
12-
11-
10-
08-
11-
11-
07-
07-
07-
08-
C
House Action
87
89
89
89
89
89
89
90
93
95
95
96
97
97
99
29-
26-
27-
28-
03-
04-
05-
16-
27-
25-
26-
18-
25-
26-
22-
12
Initial
10-
09-
09-
09-
10-
10-
10-
10-
05-
10-
10-
07-
06-
06-
07-
CRS-
bers
Bill
Num
H.R. 3545
S. 1920
H.R. 3299
S. 1750
H.R. 5835
S. 3209
H.R. 2264
S. 1134
H.R. 2491
S. 1357
H.R. 3734
S. 1956
H.R. 2015
S. 947
H.R. 2014
S. 949
H.R. 2488
S. 1429
ct
and
ct of 1987
ct of 1989
ct of 1990
ct of 1993
ct of 1996
et
et
et
et
et Act of 1995
et Act of 1997
esponsibility
econciliation A
er Relief Act of 1997
er Refund and Relief
R
Opportunity
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
nibus Budg
econciliation A
econciliation A
econciliation A
econciliation A
econciliation A
axpay
axpay
Om
R
Om
R
Om
R
Om
R
Balanced Budg
Personal R
Work
R
Balanced Budg
T
T
Act of 1999
l
Fisca
Year
1988
1990
1991
1994
1996
1997
1998
2000

---

re
o
00
00
01
03
erence
20-
21-
26-
23-
onf
07-
07-
05-
05-
. For m
C
of them
00
00
00
01
01
01
01
03
03
Senate Action
14-
17-
18-
17-
21-
22-
23-
14-
15-
Initial
07-
07-
07-
05-
05-
05-
05-
05-
05-
ebt Reconciliation Measures in
00
01
03
erence
20-
26-
22-
onf
07-
05-
05-
C
House Action
00
01
03
ouse, but the Senate did not act on any
12-
16-
09-
H
13
Initial
07-
05-
05-
the
CRS-
ongressional Action on Revenue and D
C
bers
Bill
ere passed by
Num
H.R. 4810
S. 2839
H.R. 1836
H.R. 2
S. 1054
2001 w
ct
ax
ct of
ax Relief
elief
ct of 2000
ct of 2003
easures for FY
ax R
easures, see CRS Report RL30714,
econciliation A
e T
ic Growth and T
econciliation A
R
eith.
econciliation A
elief R
econciliation A
conciliation m
Marriag
R
Econom
R
2001
Jobs and Growth T
R
r re
e
l
Robert K
a
th
ation on these m
e o
, by
Fisca
Year
2001
2002
2004
Fiva
inform
2000

---