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Budget resolutions proposed during the 2025 U.S. Congress reconciliation process

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This page provides information about budget resolutions proposed and adopted during the 119th Congress.

Budget resolutions are resolutions that broadly outline spending priorities for a reconciliation bill. The Senate and the House adopting identical budget resolutions is the first step in the reconciliation process.[1] Budget reconciliation is a legislative process that can be used to override the filibuster and expedite the approval of a package of legislation in Congress that changes spending, revenues, or the debt limit.

The House voted 217-215 on February 25, 2025, to adopt the initial version of the budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14) that included border, defense, and energy spending, along with tax reductions to replace the expiring tax policy from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018.[2] There were 217 Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution, while Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and 214 Democrats voted against the resolution.[3]

The Senate voted 51-48 to adopt an amended version of H.Con.Res.14 on April 5, 2025. The amended version also included a debt ceiling increase.[4] On April 10, the House voted to adopt the Senate-amended version of HCon.Res.14, completing the budget resolution process. The House voted 216-214 in favor of the resolution, with Reps. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) joining 212 Democrats in voting against the resolution.

The Senate had previously voted 52-48 to approve a version of the fiscal year 2025 budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7) focused primarily on border, defense, and energy spending in February.[5]

Click the links below to navigate to the following sections:

Timeline

  • April 10, 2025: The House voted 216-214 to adopt the Senate-amended version of H.Con.Res.14, completing the budget resolution process.[6]
  • April 4-5, 2025: The Senate held a vote-a-rama on the Senate amendment of H.Con.Res.14. There were 21 votes on amendments related to the resolution. After the vote-a-rama, the Senate voted 51-48 to adopt the budget resolution.[7]
  • April 2, 2025: Senate Republicans released the text of a new revised version of the House's budget resolution.[8]
  • February 25, 2025: The House voted 217-215 to adopt their budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14).[3]
  • February 20-21, 2025: The Senate held a vote-a-rama on the Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7). There were 25 roll call votes on amendments to the resolution. After the vote-a-rama, the Senate voted 52-48 to adopt the budget resolution.[9][10]
  • February 13, 2025: The House Budget Committee voted 21-16 to approve the House budget resolution. The vote was along party lines with all Republicans on the committee voting in favor and all Democrats voting against.[11]
  • February 12, 2025:
    • The Senate Budget Committee voted 11-10 to approve the Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7). The vote was along party lines with all Republicans on the committee voting in favor and all Democrats voting against.[12]
    • House Republicans released the text of the House budget resolution.[13]
  • February 7, 2025: Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) released the text of the Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7).[14]

Final budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14 amended)

The U.S. Senate adopted an amended version of the House's budget resolution on April 5, 2025. The House adopted the Senate-amended version of H.Con.Res.14 on April 10. This resolution outlines the spending priorities for the Republican budget reconciliation bill. This resolution includes taxes, the border, defense, energy, and raising the debt limit, as some of its main policy areas of focus.[15][16]

Specifically, it gives instructions to the following House and Senate committees to adjust laws within their jurisdictions in order to meet certain budgetary guidelines, expressed in either a reduction of the deficit by no less than a certain figure (decreased spending or increased revenue generation) or an increase to the deficit by no more than a certain future (increased spending or decreased revenue generation) from 2025 to 2034.[17][18]

Final budget resolution instructions to House committees
Committee Jurisdiction Effect on deficit from FY 2025-2034 (in billions)
Agriculture -$230
Armed Services +$100
Education and the Workforce -$330
Energy and Commerce -$880
Financial Services -$1
Homeland Security +$90
Judiciary +$110
Natural Resources -$1
Oversight and Government Reform -$50
Transportation and Infrastructure -$10
Ways and Means +$4,500


Final budget resolution instructions to Senate committees
Committee Jurisdiction Effect on deficit from FY 2025-2034 (in billions)
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry -$1
Armed Services +$150
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs -$1
Commerce, Science, and Transportation +$20
Energy and Natural Resources -$1
Environment and Public Works +$1
Finance +$1,500
(Treats Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018 as current policy baseline,
meaning renewing the policy isn't included in this figure.
If the renewal of the policy was included in this figure, it would be +$5,336.
Click here to learn more about current policy baselines.)
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions -$1
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs +$175 (overlaps with Judiciary instructions)
Judiciary +$175 (overlaps with Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs instructions)

Senate roll call vote

The Senate voted 51-48 to approve the resolution on April 5, 2025. Fifty-one Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, while Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), 44 Democrats, and both independents who caucus with Democrats voted in opposition.

Vote-a-rama

See also: Vote-a-ramas in the U.S. Senate

As part of the budget reconciliation process in the U.S. Senate, senators are allowed to propose amendments to the reconciliation bill after the debate period has ended. Senators briefly explain the amendment before the Senate proceeds to a roll call with a 10-minute duration. This process, sometimes called the vote-a-rama, has no procedural limit on the number of amendments that can be proposed.[32] Between 1977 and 2024, the most votes held during a vote-a-rama was 44 during consideration of Senate Democrats' 2008 congressional budget resolution in the 110th Congress.

The Senate held a vote-a-rama on the budget resolution from April 4-5. There were 21 roll call votes on amendments to the resolution.[33]

House roll call vote

The House voted 216-214 to adopt the Senate-amended resolution on April 10, 2025, with 216 Republicans voting in favor of the resolution and Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), and 212 Democrats voting in opposition. Reps. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Robert Onder (R-Mo.), and David Valadao (R-Calif.) did not vote.[34]


Text of the resolution

The section below provides the full text of the resolution.

First U.S. House budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14)

The U.S. House budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14) adopted by the House on February 25, 2025, includes taxes, the border, defense, and energy, as some of its main policy areas of focus. Specifically, it gives instructions to the following House committees to adjust laws within their jurisdictions in order to meet certain budgetary guidelines, expressed in either a reduction of the deficit by no less than a certain figure (decreased spending) or an increase to the deficit by no more than a certain figure (increased spending) from 2025 through 2034.[35] The resolution approved by the committee did not include instructions for Senate committees.

House budget resolution instructions to House committees
Committee Effect on deficit from FY 2025-2034 (in billions)
Agriculture -$230
Armed Services +$100
Education and the Workforce -$330
Energy and Commerce $-880
Financial Services -$1
Homeland Security +$90
Judiciary +$110
Natural Resources -$1
Oversight and Government Reform -$50
Transportation and Infrastructure -$10
Ways and Means +$4,500

Roll call vote

The House voted 217-215 to adopt the resolution on February 25, 2025, with 217 Republicans voting in favor of the resolution and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and 214 Democrats voting in opposition. One Democrat, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), did not vote.[3]

Text of the resolution

The section below provides the full text of the resolution.

First U.S. Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7)

The U.S. Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7) adopted by the Senate on February 21, 2025, included the border, defense, and energy, as some of its main policy areas of focus. Specifically, it gave instructions to House and Senate committees to adjust laws within their jurisdictions in order to meet certain budgetary guidelines, expressed in either a reduction of the deficit by no less than a certain figure (decreased spending or increased revenue generation) or an increase to the deficit by no more than a certain figure (increased spending) from 2025 through 2034.[36] Expand the tables below to see the instructions given to each committee.


Roll call vote

The Senate voted 52-4 to approve the resolution on February 21, 2025. Fifty-two Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), all 45 Democrats, and both independents who caucus with Democrats voted in opposition.

Vote-a-rama

See also: Vote-a-ramas in the U.S. Senate

As part of the budget reconciliation process in the U.S. Senate, senators are allowed to propose amendments to the reconciliation bill after the debate period has ended. Senators briefly explain the amendment before the Senate proceeds to a roll call with a 10-minute duration. This process, sometimes called the vote-a-rama, has no procedural limit on the number of amendments that can be proposed.[37] Between 1977 and 2024, the most votes held during a vote-a-rama was 47 during consideration of Senate Democrats' 2022 congressional budget resolution in the 117th Congress.

The Senate held a vote-a-rama on the budget resolution from February 20-21. There were 25 roll call votes on amendments to the resolution.[38]

Text of the resolution

Expand the section below to view the full text of the resolution.

Text of the resolution


Adopted budget resolutions, 2001-2024

The table below displays a list of budget resolutions adopted by the U.S. Congress from 2001 to 2024.[39]

Adopted budget resolutions, 2001-2024
Fiscal year Resolution House vote on adoption Senate vote on adoption Date adopted
2024 None - - -
2023 None - - -
2022 S.Con.Res.14 220-212 50-49 August 24, 2021
2021 S.Con.Res.5 219-209 51-50 February 5, 2021
2020 None - - -
2019 None - - -
2018 H.Con.Res.71 216-212 51-49 October 26, 2017
2017 S.Con.Res.3 227-198 51-48 January 12, 2017
2016 S.Con.Res.11 226-197 51-48 May 5, 2015
2015 None - - -
2014 None - - -
2013 None - - -
2012 None - - -
2011 None - - -
2010 S.Con.Res.13 233-193 53-43 April 29, 2009
2009 S.Con.Res.70 214-210 48-45 June 5, 2008
2008 S.Con.Res.21 214-209 52-40 May 17, 2007
2007 None - - -
2006 H.Con.Res.95 214-211 52-47 April 28, 2005
2005 None - - -
2004 H.Con.Res.95 216-211 51-50 April 11, 2003
2003 None - - -
2002 H.Con.Res.83 221-207 53-47 May 10, 2001

Budget reconciliation in U.S. Congress

Budget reconciliation
Administrative State Icon Gold.png
Unpacking the reconciliation process
How reconciliation works
Why reconciliation is used
History of use
Analysis of use
Limits on reconciliation
The Byrd Rule
Filibuster and reconciliation
Vote-a-ramas
Click here for coverage of Trump's second term on Ballotpedia.
See also: Budget reconciliation in U.S. Congress

What is budget reconciliation?
Budget reconciliation is a legislative process that can be used to override the filibuster and expedite the approval of a package of legislation in Congress that changes spending, revenues, or the debt limit. Budget reconciliation bills have limits on debate so they require a simple majority (51 votes) instead of the three-fifths majority (60 votes) usually needed in the Senate to bring bills to a vote.

The reconciliation process occurs if Congress passes a budget resolution for the fiscal year that gives reconciliation instructions. The provisions of reconciliation bills are crafted by committees or added through amendments. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the budget resolution limit the content of the reconciliation bill. Those limitations are enforced through the Byrd Rule.[1]
Why does it matter?
Since budget resolutions and budget reconciliation have limits on debate so that they cannot be filibustered in the Senate, the package of bills passed through reconciliation requires support from 51 senators instead of 60. After the 2024 elections, Republicans had a 53-seat majority in the Senate and a majority in the House.[1]

Between 2010 and 2024, Democratic trifectas passed three budget reconciliation bills, Republican trifectas passed one, and one was passed by a Republican-controlled Congress and vetoed by a Democratic president in a divided government. Reconciliation is most frequently used when one party has trifecta control of the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, but does not have a 60% majority in the Senate.[40]
What is the background?
The budget reconciliation process was created by Title III of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The law, in addition to the budget reconciliation process, created congressional budget committees and the Congressional Budget Office. President Richard Nixon (R) signed the law into effect on July 12, 1974. The Byrd Rule, which provides senators with a mechanism to attempt to remove or block provisions from a reconciliation bill by raising points of order against them, was adopted in the 1980s and formally included in the Congressional Budget Act in 1990. The Byrd Rule, added in the 1980s, restricts what can be included in reconciliation bills and empowers the Senate Parliamentarian to advise on its enforcement.[41][42]

Key legislation during the second Trump administration

This section provides links to coverage of key federal legislation considered during the second Trump administration. To be included, the bill must have met several of the following qualifying factors:

  • Collaboration between the president and congressional leadership on the bill
  • Use of the reconciliation process to pass the bill
  • Changes to the congressional procedure to pass the bill
  • Estimated cost of the bill as evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office
  • Extent of public relations campaign to promote the bill
  • Domestic and international policy ramifications

Legislation in the 119th Congress

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congress Research Service Reports at Congress.gov, "The Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action," December 9, 2024
  2. Politico, "House Republicans advance their budget after appeasing hard-liners," February 13, 2025
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 House.gov, "Roll Call 50," February 26, 2025
  4. NPR, "Senate GOP passes budget plan, setting up a critical next phase for Trump agenda," April 7, 2025
  5. Politico, "Capitol agenda: The Senate vote-a-rama is on," February 20, 2025
  6. NPR, "House approves budget framework, kickstarting work on Trump's domestic agenda," April 10, 2025
  7. NPR, "Senate GOP passes budget plan, setting up a critical next phase for Trump agenda," April 7, 2025
  8. Politico, "Senate Republicans unveil retooled budget blueprint," April 2, 2025
  9. Politico, "Capitol agenda: The Senate vote-a-rama is on," February 20, 2025
  10. Politico, "Capitol agenda: What you missed in the overnight vote-a-rama," February 21, 2025
  11. Politico, "House Republicans advance their budget after appeasing hard-liners," February 13, 2025
  12. X, "Senate Budget Republicans on February 12, 2025," accessed February 13, 2025
  13. The Hill, "House Republicans unveil blueprint to advance Trump’s agenda," February 12, 2025
  14. Senate Budget Committee, "Chairman Graham Unveils FY 2025 Budget Resolution To Secure The Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production And Begin The Process Of Restoring Fiscal Sanity," February 7, 2025
  15. Politico, "Senate Republicans unveil retooled budget blueprint," April 2, 2025
  16. Bipartisan Policy Center, "What’s in the FY2025 Senate Budget Resolution," April 2, 2025
  17. Politico, "Senate Republicans unveil retooled budget blueprint," April 2, 2025
  18. Bipartisan Policy Center, "What’s in the FY2025 Senate Budget Resolution," April 2, 2025
  19. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  20. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  21. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  22. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  23. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  24. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  25. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  26. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  27. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  28. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  29. Govinfo.gov, "Jefferson's Manual," accessed April 15, 2025
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 30.6 30.7 30.8 30.9 Senate Rules Committee, "Rules of the Senate," accessed April 15, 2025
  31. Congress.gov, "S.Res.445," accessed April 16, 2025
  32. Congressional Research Service, "The Budget Reconciliation Process: Stages of Consideration," January 25, 2021
  33. Senate.gov, "Vote-aramas," accessed April 7, 2025
  34. House of Representatives, "Roll Call 100," April 10, 2025
  35. House.gov, "Concurrent Resolution," accessed February 13, 2025
  36. House.gov, "Concurrent Resolution," accessed February 13, 2025
  37. Congressional Research Service, "The Budget Reconciliation Process: Stages of Consideration," January 25, 2021
  38. Politico, "Capitol agenda: The Senate vote-a-rama is on," February 20, 2025
  39. Congressional Research Service, "Appropriations Status Table," accessed March 5, 2025
  40. Congressional Research Service, "The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate’s 'Byrd Rule.'" December 12, 2024
  41. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Introduction to Budget 'Reconciliation'," accessed December 13, 2024
  42. Govinfo.gov, "Congressional Budget," accessed December 11, 2024