Overview
- The Republican Study Committee released a framework for a second budget reconciliation bill focused on affordability, projecting about $1.6 trillion in spending cuts and roughly $1 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years, according to its estimates.
- The blueprint centers on lowering energy and health costs and boosting housing access, including HSA-based changes to ACA subsidies, a separate low-premium plan marketplace, and new homebuyer savings options.
- Energy and regulatory proposals dominate the package, featuring permitting streamlining, REINS-style limits on major rules, curbs on efficiency standards, and new fees tied to environmental litigation and state waiver requests.
- RSC leaders tout an AI tool trained on Byrd Rule materials to help draft provisions that can withstand Senate parliamentarian review after several items were stripped from last year’s reconciliation law.
- Speaker Mike Johnson has voiced interest in another reconciliation bill but has not endorsed the RSC plan, President Trump’s stance remains unclear, and moderates such as Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Don Bacon are pressing for bipartisan alternatives as the GOP’s slim majority tightens.