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Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress

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The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure that operates as an adjunct to the
budget resolution process established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The chief
purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress’s ability to change current law in
order to bring revenue, spending, and debt-limit levels into conformity with the policies of the
annual budget resolution.
This report identifies and briefly summarizes the 19 budget reconciliation measures enacted into
law during the period covering 1980, when reconciliation procedures first were used by both
chambers, through 2008, the last year of the 110th Congress.

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ȱȱȱȱȱ ǱȱŗşŞŖȬŘŖŖŞȱ
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The Reconciliation Process ............................................................................................................. 1
Reconciliation Legislation: 1980-2008 ........................................................................................... 2

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Table 1. Budget Resolutions and Resultant Reconciliation Acts: FY1981-FY2009 ....................... 2

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Appendix. Reconciliation Measures Enacted Into Law, 1980 to the Present .................................. 4

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Author Contact Information ...........................................................................................................11

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his report identifies and briefly summarizes the 19 budget reconciliation measures enacted
into law during the period covering 1980, when reconciliation procedures first were used
T by both chambers, through 2008, the last year of the 110th Congress.
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The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure that operates as an adjunct to the
budget resolution process established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The chief
purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress’s ability to change current law in
order to bring revenue, spending, and debt-limit levels into conformity with the policies of the
annual budget resolution.1
Reconciliation is a two-stage process. First, reconciliation directives are included in the budget
resolution, instructing the appropriate committees to develop legislation achieving the desired
budgetary outcomes. Reconciliation directives instruct specified committees to develop
legislation changing existing law in order to alter revenue, spending, or debt-limit levels to
conform with budget resolution policies. Over the years, compliance with reconciliation
directives has been determined on the basis of the net revenue or spending effects of all changes
in the legislation. A particular reconciliation measure, therefore, may have included changes that
raised spending as well as changes that reduced spending, changes that raised revenue as well as
changes that reduced revenue, or both, and still adhered to the overall budgetary goals. (In 2007,
the House and Senate changed their rules to require that reconciliation be used only to reduce the
deficit.)
If the budget resolution instructs more than one committee in a chamber, then 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. 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.
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 and not include extraneous matter. The House Rules Committee
typically recommends a special rule for the consideration of a reconciliation measure in the
House that places restrictions on debate time and the offering of amendments.
If the House and Senate do not reach final agreement on a budget resolution, then the
reconciliation process is not triggered.

1 For background information on the budget reconciliation process, see CRS Report RL33030, The Budget
Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith and Bill Heniff Jr.
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ȱǱȱŗşŞŖȬŘŖŖŞȱ
As an optional procedure, reconciliation has not been used in every year that the congressional
budget process has been in effect. Reconciliation was not used during the first several years of the
congressional budget process and, more recently, was not used in years immediately following
successful action on a budget summit agreement. In 1990, for example, the George H.W. Bush
administration successfully negotiated a budget summit agreement with Congress that was
reflected in the FY1991 budget resolution. Pursuant to reconciliation directives in that resolution,
Congress and the President enacted the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990.
Reconciliation was not used in the following two years, involving budget resolutions for FY1992
and FY1993.
In four years, 1998 (for FY1999), 2002 (for FY2003), 2004 (for FY2005), and 2006 (for
FY2007), the House and Senate did not agree on a budget resolution.
Beginning with the first use of reconciliation by both the House and Senate in 1980,
reconciliation has been used in most years. Congress has sent the President 22 reconciliation acts
over the years; 19 were signed into law and three were vetoed by President Bill Clinton (and the
vetoes not overriden). The 22 reconciliation measures sent to the President are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Budget Resolutions and Resultant Reconciliation Acts: FY1981-FY2009
Fiscal
Budget
Year
Resolution
Resultant Reconciliation Act(s)
Date
Enacted
1981 H.Con.Res. 307
Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-499)
12-05-80
1982 H.Con.Res. 115
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35)
08-13-81
1983 S.Con.Res.
92 Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-248)
09-03-82
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-253)
09-08-82
1984 H.Con.Res. 91
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983 (P.L. 98-270)
04-18-84
1986 S.Con.Res. 32
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-
04-07-86
272)
1987 S.Con.Res. 120
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-509)
10-21-86
1988 S,Con.Res. 93
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-203)
12-22-87
1990 H.Con.Res. 106
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (P.L. 101-239)
12-19-89
1991 H.Con.Res. 310
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508)
11-05-90
1994 H.Con.Res. 64
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-66)
08-10-93
1996 H.Con.Res. 67
Balanced Budget Act of 1995
12-06-95
(vetoed)
1997 H.Con.Res. 178
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
08-22-96
1996 (P.L. 104-193)
1998 H.Con.Res.
84 Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33)
08-05-97
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-34)
08-05-97
2000 H.Con.Res. 68
Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999 (H.R. 2488)
09-23-99
(vetoed)

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Fiscal
Budget
Year
Resolution
Resultant Reconciliation Act(s)
Date
Enacted
2001 H.Con.Res. 290
Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2000 (H.R. 4810)
08-05-00
(vetoed)
2002 H.Con.Res. 83
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L.
06-07-01
107-16)
2004 H.Con.Res. 95
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-27)
05-28-03
2006 H.Con.Res.
95
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171)
02-08-06
Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-
05-17-06
222)
2008 S.Con.Res.
21
College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-84)
09-27-07
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
Reconciliation practices in the House and Senate vary and change over time. In earlier years,
spending and revenue changes were incorporated into a single measure. In the Omnibus
Reconciliation Act of 1980, for example, about $8 billion in deficit reduction for FY1981 was
split fairly evenly between spending reductions and revenue increases. In more recent years,
revenue and spending changes have been segregated into separate reconciliation measures. For
the FY2006 budget cycle, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 was a spending reconciliation bill,
and the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 was a revenue reconciliation bill.
Reconciliation directives in a single budget resolution sometimes lead to more than one
reconciliation measure, as indicated above for the FY2006 budget cycle. Multiple reconciliation
measures also were considered in calendar years 1982 and 1997.
Finally, the consideration of reconciliation measures sometimes carries over into a succeeding
year. Action on reconciliation measures initiated in 1983, 1985, and 2005 was not completed until
the following year. Although in these instances legislative action spilled over into the following
year, the initial year was retained in the titles of the acts (e.g., the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
was enacted in 2006).
A brief description of each of the 19 reconciliation measures enacted into law is provided in the
Appendix. The laws are presented in chronological order, beginning with the Omnibus
Reconciliation Act of 1980 and concluding with the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of
2007.
For each reconciliation law listed in the Appendix, some of the major subject areas affected by
the revenue or spending changes are identified, but no determination is made as to whether the
specific changes involved increases or decreases. The subject areas identified range from fairly
specific (e.g., Nuclear Regulatory Commission fees) to quite broad (e.g., Medicare), with broad
subject areas sometimes encompassing dozens or hundreds of separate provisions. Some of the
reconciliation measures included in the listing were very lengthy and complicated, involving the
legislative proposals of many different House and Senate committees. Accordingly, the subject
areas identified in the listing should be regarded as illustrative and not comprehensive.
The source from which the summary information was drawn is indicated for each law by a
bracketed reference at the end of the summary.
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ŗǯȱ ȱȱȱȱŗşŞŖȱ
ǯǯȱşŜȬŚşşȱǻȱśǰȱŗşŞŖǼȱ
This act, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter, was the first reconciliation bill to pass the
House and Senate. It was estimated to reduce the FY1981 deficit by $8.276 billion, including
$4.631 billion in outlay reductions and $3.645 billion in revenue increases.
Major spending changes affected such areas as child nutrition subsidies; interest rates for student
loans; “look back” COLA benefit provisions for retiring federal employees; highway obligational
authority; railroad rehabilitation, airport development, planning, and noise control grants;
veterans’ burial allowances; disaster loans; Medicare and Medicaid; unemployment
compensation; and Social Security.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as mortgage subsidy bonds; payment of estimated
corporate taxes; capital gains on foreign real estate investments; payroll taxes paid by employers;
telephone excise taxes; and the alcohol import duty.
[1980 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 124-130]
Řǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞŗȱ
ǯǯȱşŝȬřśȱǻȱŗřǰȱŗşŞŗǼȱ
President Ronald Reagan used this act, along with a non-reconciliation bill, the Economic
Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-34), to advance much of his agenda in his first year in office.
OBRA of 1981 was estimated to reduce the deficit by $130.6 billion over three years, covering
FY1982-FY1984.
Major spending changes affected such areas as health program block grants; Medicaid; television
and radio licenses; Food Stamps; dairy price supports; energy assistance; Conrail; education
program block grants; Impact Aid and the Title I compensatory education program for
disadvantaged children; student loans; and the Social Security minimum benefit.
[1981 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 256-266]
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ǯǯȱşŝȬŘŚŞȱǻȱřǰȱŗşŞŘǼȱ
This act, one of two reconciliation measures signed by President Reagan in 1982, was estimated
to increase revenues by $98.3 billion and reduce outlays by $17.5 billion over three years,
covering FY1983-FY1985.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, aid to families with
dependent children (AFDC), child support enforcement (CSE), supplemental security income
(SSI), unemployment compensation, and interest payments on U.S. savings bonds.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as the alternative minimum tax, medical and casualty
deductions, pension contribution deductions, federal employee payment of the FICA tax for
Medicare coverage, accelerated depreciation and investment tax credits, corporate tax payments,
foreign oil and gas income, corporate tax preferences, construction deductions, insurance tax
breaks, “safe-harbor leasing,” corporate mergers, withholding on interest and dividends, aviation
excise taxes, unemployment insurance, telephone and cigarette excise taxes, and industrial
development bonds.
[1982 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 29-39 and 199-204]
Śǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞŘȱ
ǯǯȱşŝȬŘśřȱǻȱŞǰȱŗşŞŘǼȱ
This act, the second of two reconciliation measures signed by President Reagan in 1982, was
estimated to reduce outlays by $13.3 billion over three years, covering FY1983-FY1985.
Major spending changes affected such areas as payments to farmers, dairy price supports, Food
Stamps, inflation adjustments for federal retirees, lump-sum premiums for FHA housing
insurance, user fees on Veterans Administration-backed home loans, veterans’ compensation and
benefits, and reduction in the membership of the Federal Communications Commission and the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
[1982 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 199-204]
śǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞřȱ
ǯǯȱşŞȬŘŝŖȱǻȱŗŞǰȱŗşŞŚǼȱ
Initial consideration of this act occurred in 1983, but final action did not occur until 1984. It was
estimated to reduce the deficit by $8.2 billion over four years, covering FY1984-FY1987.
Major spending changes affected such areas as limitation and delay of federal civilian employee
pay raises, delay of federal civilian and military retirement and disability COLAs, delay of
veterans’ compensation COLAs, and disaster loans for farmers.
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[1983 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 231-239, and 1984 Congressional Quarterly
Almanac, p. 160]
Ŝǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞśȱ
ǯǯȱşşȬŘŝŘȱǻȱŝǰȱŗşŞŜǼȱ
Initial consideration of this act occurred in 1985, but final action did not occur until 1986. The act
was estimated to reduce the deficit by $18.2 billion over three years, covering FY1986-FY1988.
Major spending changes affected such areas as student loans, highway spending, veterans’
medical care, Medicare, Medicaid, and trade adjustment assistance.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as the cigarette tax, excise taxes supporting the Black
Lung Trust Fund, unemployment tax exemptions, taxation of railroad retirement benefits, airline
employee income subject to taxation, and the deduction of research expenses of multinational
firms.
[1986 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, p. 521 and pp. 555-559]
ŝǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞŜȱ
ǯǯȱşşȬśŖşȱǻȱŘŗǰȱŗşŞŜǼȱ
The act was a three-year reconciliation measure, covering FY1987-FY1989. An estimated $11.7
billion in deficit reduction contributed to the avoidance of a sequester (i.e., across-the-board
spending cuts in non-exempt programs to eliminate a violation of the applicable deficit target
under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) for FY1987.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, agricultural income support
payments, loan asset sales, federal employee retirement programs, federal subsidy for reduced-
rate postage, federal financing for fishing vessels or facilities, retirement age limits, and
elimination of the trigger for Social Security COLAs.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as the tax treatment of the sale of the federal share of
Conrail, commercial merchandise import fee, increased penalty for untimely payment of withheld
taxes, denial of certain foreign tax credits, and the oil-spill liability trust fund.
[1986 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 559-576]
Şǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞŝȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŖȬŘŖřȱǻȱŘŘǰȱŗşŞŝǼȱ
The act, a three-year reconciliation measure, covering FY1988-FY1990, was the final
reconciliation measure signed by President Reagan. Together with an omnibus appropriations act
(P.L. 100-202), the reconciliation act implemented the $76 billion in deficit reduction over
ȱȱȱ
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FY1988 and FY1989 called for in a budget summit agreement reached after a sharp decline in the
stock market in October.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, agricultural target prices,
farm income support payments, deferral of lump-sum retirement payments to federal employees,
Postal Service payments into retirement and health benefit funds, the Guaranteed Student Loan
program, Nuclear Regulatory Committee license fees, and National Park user fees.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as home mortgage interest deduction, deduction of
mutual fund expenses, “completed contract” method of accounting, repeal of installment-sales
accounting, “master-limited” partnerships, and accelerated payments of corporate estimated taxes.
[1987 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 615-627]
şǯȱȱȱȱȱȱŗşŞşȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŗȬŘřşȱǻȱŗşǰȱŗşŞşǼȱ
The act, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, reflected one-year reconciliation
directives in the Senate (for FY1990) and two-year directives in the House (for FY1990 and
FY1991). It was estimated to contain $14.7 billion in deficit reduction, which represented about
half of the deficit reduction envisioned in a budget summit agreement reached earlier in the year
(the remaining savings were expected to occur largely in annual appropriations acts).
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ housing loans,
agricultural deficiency payments and dairy price supports, the Supplemental Loans for Students
(SLS) program, Federal Communications Commission and Nuclear Regulatory Commission fees,
vaccine injury compensation amendments, and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant
program.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as the exclusion for employer-provided education
assistance, targeted-jobs tax credit, mortgage revenue bonds, self-employed health insurance,
low-income housing credit, treatment of junk bonds, and research and experimentation credits.
[1989 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 92-113]
ŗŖǯȱȱȱȱȱȱŗşşŖȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŗȬśŖŞȱǻȱśǰȱŗşşŖǼȱ
This five-year reconciliation act, covering FY1991-FY1995, implemented a large portion of the
deficit reduction required by an agreement reached during a lengthy budget summit held at
Andrews Air Force Base. According to the Senate Budget Committee, the act was estimated to
reduce the deficit by $482 billion over 5 years, including $158 billion in revenue increases and
$324 billion in spending cuts and debt service savings.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, agricultural loans, acreage
reduction, deposit insurance premiums, mortgage insurance premiums, collection of delinquent
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student loans, OSHA penalties, aid to families with dependent children (AFDC), child support
enforcement (CSE), supplemental security income (SSI), unemployment compensation, child
welfare and foster care, Social Security, abandoned mines, Environmental Protection Agency,
federal employee retirement and health benefits, veterans’ compensation and disability payments,
airport ticket fees, customs user fees, and tonnage duties.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as individual income tax rates, the alternative
minimum tax, limitation on itemized deductions, excise taxes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco
products, motor fuel excise taxes, and Superfund tax extension.
The public debt limit was increased from $3.123 trillion to $4.145 trillion.
[1990 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 138-173]
ŗŗǯȱȱȱȱȱȱŗşşřȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖřȬŜŜȱǻȱŗŖǰȱŗşşřǼȱ
This five-year reconciliation act, covering FY1994-FY1998, was signed by President Bill Clinton
in the first year of his Administration. According to the Senate Budget Committee, the act
reduced the deficit by $496 billion over five years, including $241 billion in revenue increases
and $255 billion in spending cuts and debt service savings.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, auction of the
radio spectrum, student loan programs, veterans’ benefits, agricultural price supports, crop
insurance, liabilities of the Postal Service, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission fees.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as a fuels tax increase, maximum individual income
tax rates, maximum corporate income tax rate, small business tax incentives, empowerment
zones, and unemployment insurance surtax.
The public debt limit was increased from $4.145 trillion to $4.9 trillion.
[1993 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 107-139]
ŗŘǯȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ
ȱȱŗşşŜȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŚȬŗşřȱǻȱŘŘǰȱŗşşŜǼȱ
This six-year reconciliation act, covering FY1997-FY2002, was estimated to reduce the deficit by
$54.6 billion over that period.
Major spending changes affected such areas as temporary assistance for needy families (TANF),
work requirements, supplemental security income (SSI), child support enforcement (CSE),
restrictions on benefits for illegal aliens, Child Care and Development Block Grant, child
nutrition, Food Stamps, teenage pregnancies, and abstinence education.
ȱȱȱ
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[1996 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 6-3 through 6-24]
ŗřǯȱȱȱȱȱŗşşŝȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖśȬřřȱǻȱśǰȱŗşşŝǼȱ
This five-year reconciliation act, covering FY1998-FY2002, was one of two reconciliation acts
signed by President Clinton in 1997 and largely contained spending provisions. According to the
Senate Budget Committee, the two acts together reduced the deficit by $118 billion over five
years, including spending cuts and debt service savings of $198 billion and $80 billion in revenue
reductions.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health initiative,
electromagnetic spectrum auction, Food Stamps, temporary assistance to needy families (TANF),
supplemental security income (SSI), increased contributions to the Civil Service Retirement
System, subsidized housing, and veterans’ housing.
The public debt limit was increased from $5.5 trillion to $5.95 trillion.
[1997 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 2-27 through 2-30 and pp. 2-47 through 2-61]
ŗŚǯȱ¡¢ȱȱȱȱŗşşŝȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖśȬřŚȱǻȱśǰȱŗşşŝǼȱ
The second of the two reconciliation measures enacted in 1997, this five-year reconciliation act,
covering FY1998-FY2002, largely included revenue provisions.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as a child tax credit, education tax incentives
(including the HOPE tax credit, the lifetime learning credit, and education savings accounts),
home office deductions, capital gains tax cut, the “Roth IRA,” gift and estate tax exemptions,
corporate alternative minimum tax repeal, renewal of the work opportunity tax credit, and the
airline ticket tax.
[1997 Congressional Quarterly Almanac, pp. 2-27 through 2-46]
ŗśǯȱȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱŘŖŖŗȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŝȬŗŜȱǻȱŝǰȱŘŖŖŗǼȱ
This 11-year reconciliation act, covering FY2001-2011, advanced President George W. Bush’s
tax-cut agenda during the first year of his Administration. According to the Senate Budget
Committee, revenue reductions, together with outlay increases for refundable tax credits, reduced
the projected surplus by $1.349 trillion over FY2001–FY2011. The tax cuts were scheduled to
sunset in ten years in order to comply with the Senate’s ‘‘Byrd rule’’ against extraneous matter in
reconciliation legislation (Section 313 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974).
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Major revenue changes affected such areas as individual income tax rates, the “marriage penalty,”
child tax credit, estate and gift taxes, individual retirement accounts and pensions, charitable
contributions, education incentives, health insurance tax credit, flexible spending accounts,
research and experimentation tax credit, and adoption tax credit and employer adoption assistance
programs.
[CRS Report RL30973, 2001 Tax Cut: Description, Analysis, and Background, by David L.
Brumbaugh et al.]
ŗŜǯȱȱȱ ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱŘŖŖřȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖŞȬŘŝȱǻ¢ȱŘŞǰȱŘŖŖřǼȱ
This 11-year reconciliation act, covering FY2003-2013, was estimated to reduce revenues by
$349.667 billion over that period.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as the acceleration of certain previously-enacted tax
reductions (including expansion of the child tax credit and the 10% bracket), increased bonus
depreciation and section 179 expensing, taxes on dividends and capital gains, the Temporary State
Fiscal Relief Fund, and special estimated tax rules for certain corporate estimated tax payments.
[Joint Committee on Taxation, Estimated Budget Effects of the Conference Agreement for H.R. 2,
The “Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003,”JCX-55-03, May 22, 2003]
ŗŝǯȱȱȱȱȱŘŖŖśȱ
ǯǯȱŗŖşȬŗŝŗȱǻ¢ȱŞǰȱŘŖŖŜǼȱ
This five-year reconciliation act, covering FY2006-FY2010, was one of two reconciliation acts
signed by President George W. Bush in 2006 (initial consideration of both measures occurred in
2005). This act, the spending reconciliation bill, was estimated to reduce the deficit over the five-
year period by $38.810 billion.
Major spending changes affected such areas as Medicare, Medicaid, State Children’s Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP), student loan interest rates and lenders’ yields, electromagnetic
spectrum auction, digital television conversion, grants for interoperable radios for first
responders, low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP), Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation premium collections, agricultural conservation programs, Katrina health care relief,
and Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) premiums.
[CRS Report RL33132, Budget Reconciliation Legislation in 2005-2006 Under the FY2006
Budget Resolution, by Robert Keith]
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This act, the second of two reconciliation bills enacted in 2006, was the revenue reconciliation
bill. It was estimated to increase the deficit over the five-year period covering FY2006-FY2010
by $69.960 billion.
Major revenue changes affected such areas as tax rates on dividends and capital gains, the
alternative minimum tax for individuals, delay in payment date for corporate estimated taxes,
controlled foreign corporations, FSC/ETI binding contract relief, elimination of the income
limitations on Roth IRA conversions, and withholding on government payments for property and
services.
[CRS Report RL33132, Budget Reconciliation Legislation in 2005-2006 Under the FY2006
Budget Resolution, by Robert Keith]
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This six-year reconciliation act, covering FY2007-FY2012, was estimated to reduce the deficit
over that period by $752 million.
Major spending changes affected provisions relating to lenders and borrowers involved with the
Federal Family Education Loan program and the William D. Ford Direct Loan program.
[CRS Report RL34077, Student Loans, Student Aid, and FY2008 Budget Reconciliation, by Adam
Stoll, David P. Smole, and Charmaine Mercer]

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Robert Keith

Specialist in American National Government
rkeith@crs.loc.gov, 7-8659

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