From what I understand, the Byrd Rule is a legislative rule that can be used to make it harder for non-budgetary items to be passed in budget reconciliation bills.
All it takes is one senator to raise a point of order against a provision in the bill, which sends that provision to be assessed by the Senate Parliamentarian, who is Elizabeth MacDonough. She has held the position since 2012, and means that she is not necessarily a magat sycophant. If she agrees the Bryd Rule is applicable to the provision, it then takes 60 votes to keep the provision in the bill versus 51 needed to pass budget reconciliation.
I believe the most important provisions to be targeted by the Byrd Rule are :
Section 70302, limits the judiciary from holding parties under contempt if they ignore their ruling
Section 50401, prevents any regulation on AI for ten years.
Section 60112, deregulates silencers for guns
Section 80221, Medicaid work requirements
I know this doesn’t stop the bill, but it could defang a lot of the danger in the bill. The fact they’re trying to limit judiciary oversight is eerily similar to the Enabling Act of 1933 which greatly strengthened Hitler’s authority. It would allow all trumps executive orders to not be hindered by the courts, ultimately making his own laws without the legislative branch, literally like the nazis did.
Please call your senators and ask them to apply Byrd Rule to these provisions. I did this morning. If you have more ideas to resist this bill, or have corrections for me, I’m all ears!
Originally Posted By u/Brambo_Style At 2025-05-23 10:50:01 AM | Source
