How Congress is losing its path(s)
This analysis from Roll Call examines how the U.S. Congress is increasingly reliant on budget reconciliation—a filibuster-proof process—to pass major legislation, as traditional legislative paths close. With narrow Republican majorities, fewer deal-makers, and ongoing power struggles with President Donald Trump, lawmakers are turning to reconciliation for a third time in 2026, this time for a $95 billion package funding the Iran war, farm aid, and voter ID measures. The article highlights the breakdown of the normal appropriations process, with Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and ranking member Patty Murray unable to agree on spending limits for fiscal 2027. Experts like Brookings' Molly Reynolds note that the erosion of Congress's power of the purse and political conflicts between the legislative and executive branches have left lawmakers 'stuck.' Both parties have used reconciliation in recent years, but its overuse signals a deeper dysfunction in congressional governance.
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