Reconciliation, Explained (pt. 2) — What to watch as Congress negotiates Trump's budget bill

On this episode: Congress is once again turning to the powerful tool of budget reconciliation to try and pass major legislation — and with razor-thin majorities in both chambers, every vote counts for the Republican coalition trying to pass President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’ Michael Thorning, director of the Structural Democracy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center, joins the show to break down what reconciliation actually is, why it matters to everyday Americans, and how it’s being used in current debates over tax cuts, deficit concerns, and federal spending. From the internal GOP clash over the Trump-era tax cuts to the Senate’s complex Byrd Rule restrictions, this high-stakes and rapidly evolving fiscal showdown is playing out in real time. Here’s what you need to know as you follow along. Here’s how the process typically works: https://ballotpedia.org/Budget_reconciliation_in_U.S._Congress Check out BPC’s explainer: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/budget-reconciliation-simplified/ And listen to our episode on the process from earlier this year: https://ballotpedia.org/On_the_Ballot_Episode_165_Budget_reconciliation_explained This year, we're hoping to learn more about our audience and what topics you want us to tackle. Complete a brief 5 minute survey to review the show and share some feedback: https://forms.gle/zPxYSog5civyvEKX6 Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at [email protected] or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.