1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i The Budget Reconciliation Process and the Statutory Limit on the Debt Updated November 15, 2021 The budget reconciliation process is an optional, expedited legislative process provided under the Congressional Budget Act of
2、 1974, as amended (P.L. 93-344; the Budget Act). It consists of several different stages, beginning with the adoption of the budget resolution. The purpose of the reconciliation process is to allow Congress to use special procedures when considering legislation that would bring existing budgetary la
3、ws into compliance with the fiscal policies that Congress establishes in the annual budget resolution. If Congress intends to use this process, reconciliation directives (also referred to as reconciliation instructions) must be included in the annual budget resolution. These directives trigger the s
4、econd stage of the process by instructing individual committees to develop and report legislation that would change laws within their respective jurisdictions related to direct spending, revenue, or the debt limit. Once a specified committee develops legislation in response to a reconciliation direc
