{"id":2535069,"date":"2026-01-13T13:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-drop-reconciliation-2-0-outline-to-save-1-6-trillion\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T13:06:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:06:49","slug":"republicans-drop-reconciliation-2-0-outline-to-save-1-6-trillion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-drop-reconciliation-2-0-outline-to-save-1-6-trillion\/","title":{"rendered":"Republicans drop reconciliation 2.0 outline to save $1.6 trillion"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-drop-reconciliation-2-0-outline-to-save-1-6-trillion%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2535069&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Republican Study Committee unveiled a &#8220;reconciliation 2.0&#8221; blueprint that it says would save $1.6 trillion, but house and Senate GOP leaders are skeptical about passing another large reconciliation package before the 2026 midterms given <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-judge-orders-gop-candidate-be-certified-winner-of-house-race\/\" title=\"NY Judge Orders ... Candidate Be Certified Winner Of ... Race\">razor-thin margins<\/a>. Many house Republicans insist on acting while they still hold a trifecta, and RSC Chair August Pfluger called it &#8220;political malpractice&#8221; not to try. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and senate Majority Leader John Thune both tempered expectations, noting the need for broad GOP agreement and a clear rationale.the plan-about 70% drawn from bills already introduced or passed in the House-focuses on affordability, healthcare, and energy and includes measures such as eliminating the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-political-activism-and-influence-of-bill-gates\/\" title=\"The Political Activism And Influence of ... Gates\">capital gains tax<\/a> on primary home sales. Past reconciliation efforts faced Byrd Rule roadblocks in the senate, so the RSC says it used an AI tool trained on byrd Rule documents to try to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >produce compliant legislative text<\/a>. Whether the package will advance remains uncertain amid internal GOP divisions and the narrow, possibly shrinking, majority.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Republican leaders temper expectations of pulling off reconciliation 2.0<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2471685\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/reconciliation\/\">reconciliation<\/a> 2.0 blueprint unveiled by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-study-committee\/\">Republican Study Committee<\/a> on Tuesday morning aims to save $1.6 trillion, but House and Senate GOP leaders are skeptical of the success of passing another &ldquo;big, beautiful bill&rdquo; before the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-elections\/\">2026 midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A large group of House Republicans is insistent that they move on a second reconciliation package this year while they still have a trifecta. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\">House<\/a> historically flips to the party opposite the White House in the midterm elections, and recent polling and Democratic candidate recruitment show that Democrats have a path to flip both chambers of Congress this fall.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4416836\/neal-dunn-48th-member-announce-retirement-house-after-term\/\">Neal Dunn becomes 48th member to announce retirement from House after this term<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4416649\/house-oversight-committee-move-bill-clinton-contempt-of-congress\/\">House Oversight Committee will move to hold Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress after Epstein deposition no-show<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4415177\/clintons-contempt-congress-no-show-epstein-depositions\/\">Clintons to be held in contempt of Congress if they no-show depositions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>But GOP leadership in both chambers is not offering a full-throttle endorsement of a second package.<\/p>\n<p>House Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/steve-scalise\/\">Steve Scalise<\/a> (R-LA) tempered expectations for the ability to pass another bill, given the razor-thin margins. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d sure love to do one, but obviously, with a now one-seat majority, basically, it means we&rsquo;ve all got to come together and agree on what that framework would look like,&rdquo; he said Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Scalise added that RSC put out &ldquo;really good ideas that I love.&rdquo; He said there will be meetings with different sects of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">Republicans<\/a> to &ldquo;see if there is a coalition to get a reconciliation bill.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s some things that didn&rsquo;t make it through the Working Families Tax Cut that we&rsquo;d like to go back to, but at the end of the day, you got to have the votes to pass it,&rdquo; Scalise said.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) also offered some skepticism about a second package, saying, &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t just put a reconciliation bill on the floor.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You actually have to have a specific reason to want to do it,&rdquo; Thune said. &ldquo;So we&rsquo;ll figure out if there is one.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>RSC Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) said on Tuesday during a presser unveiling the RSC&rsquo;s framework that it would be &ldquo;political malpractice&rdquo; not to pursue another reconciliation package.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A one-sheet framework given to reporters detailed that Democrats were able to pass two of their three reconciliation attempts during the first two years of the Biden administration, and &ldquo;Republicans must seize the same opportunity to undo that damage.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to get this done,&rdquo; Pfluger said. &ldquo;We know we have a narrow window of time. The American people gave us a mandate, and we are not going to stand idly by watching this time get passed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Republicans aim to make this package easier to pass than the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025, after months of contention. The GOP had since dubbed the &ldquo;big, beautiful bill&rdquo; with a new moniker, the &ldquo;Working Families Tax Cut,&rdquo; as a way to message the contents of the legislation more effectively amid the midterm election cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Whether another reconciliation package will be successful this year remains to be seen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The speaker has said previously that the GOP had &ldquo;one planned for this fall&rdquo; in 2025 and &ldquo;one hopefully for next spring&rdquo; in 2026. But the fall came and went with no movement on a package, and Republican leaders acknowledged last year that the appetite may not be there.<\/p>\n<p>When asked if the speaker will use RSC&rsquo;s specific plan for reconciliation, Pfluger said he remains hopeful that is the case.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The speaker has said that he is moving forward with reconciliation 2.0. Of course, we would hope for a personal endorsement on this plan, but he is moving forward with the notion that we have to do this,&rdquo; Pfluger said. &ldquo;And I hope that those in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a>, obviously, including the president, who has said in the past that he believes reconciliation is a good idea, I hope that they take note of this plan and will continue to use this as a framework.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Several rank-and-file Republicans have been skeptical that they can get another bill through the House, especially given the months it took to do the first one and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-backs-off-15-minimum-wage-as-virus-relief-plan-takes-shape\/\" title=\"Biden Backs Off  Minimum Wage As Virus Relief Plan Takes Shape\">razor-thin majority<\/a> that seems to be shrinking by the day.<\/p>\n<p>A meeting between centrists and Johnson got heated at the end of last year, during which reporters <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/reesejgorman\/status\/2000993614441136552\">heard<\/a> Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) tell Johnson, &ldquo;We are never getting a second reconciliation bill.&rdquo; Johnson had responded, &ldquo;Take those words out of your mouth.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>According to Pfluger, 70% of the RSC&rsquo;s proposal comprises a number of bills that have already been introduced or passed in the House, which the chairman said are &ldquo;savers.&rdquo; The RSC did not provide specifics on where they will cut $1.6 trillion.<\/p>\n<p>House affordability, healthcare, and energy are the crux of RSC&rsquo;s framework, which is already shaping up to be a major factor in the 2026 election season. Among the proposals is a plan to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3900591\/house-gop-capital-gains-tax-housing-affordability\/\">axe the capital gains tax<\/a> on primary home sales, which strategists have warned will not be enough to tackle the housing crisis alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4415255\/trump-returns-michigan-economic-credentials\/\">TRUMP URGED TO FOCUS ON &lsquo;TOMORROW&rsquo;S PAYCHECKS,&rsquo; NOT &lsquo;YESTERDAY&rsquo;S GRIEVANCES,&rsquo; AS HE HEADS TO MICHIGAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the first reconciliation package, Republicans were met with roadblocks after the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3336332\/gop-senate-parliamentarian-elizabeth-macdonough-trump-tax-agenda\/\">Senate parliamentarian<\/a> struck <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3456066\/senate-parliamentarian-strikes-school-vouchers-gun-provisions-trump-tax-bill\/\">numerous proposals<\/a> from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act because they did not adhere to the Byrd Rule, which details what can and cannot be included in a reconciliation bill.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid this, the RSC used an artificial intelligence tool that was trained on &ldquo;thousands&rdquo; of Byrd Rule documents &ldquo;to generate compliant legislative text and preempt Democrat challenges.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><em>David Sivak contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP wary of passing reconciliation 2.0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":2535070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26007625036630.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[70822,70821,3756],"class_list":["post-2535069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-1-6-trillion-savings","tag-reconciliation-2-0","tag-republicans"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26007625036630.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2648"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2535069"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2535073,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535069\/revisions\/2535073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2535070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2535069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2535069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2535069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}