News Analysis The reconciliation process has been in the headlines for months as Democrats have moved ahead with the process to pass their expansive $3.5 trillion budget bill, a move that Republicans have strongly criticized. The process, while very powerful, must comply with a slew of rules and restrictions that normal legislation is not subject to. The budget reconciliation process allows certain types of legislation related to government finances to pass through the Senate without meeting a 60-vote threshold to order cloture on debate, a privilege that very few legislative proceedings have in the deliberative upper chamber. The process has a relatively short history, and its applications have expanded significantly since its introduction to Congress’ rulebook. Originally, the process was intended as the act of a resistant Congress taking back its financial powers. Budget reconciliation was first formulated as a response to perceived executive overreach into the state’s finances following …