Congress must act swiftly on passing a budget resolution

Congress has taken a lot of flak over the years for being dysfunctional, often for good reason. Changing how Washington works is easier said than done. But lawmakers now have a unique opportunity for a landmark legislative accomplishment that will affect every American. It’s vitally important that they deliver.

Republican leaders released a bold tax reform framework last week that will bring relief to American workers, families and businesses, and eliminates handouts to special interests while growing the economy. But before they can get to the nuts and bolts of tax reform, they have to pave the way with a budget resolution.

Congress has made some important progress. The House Budget Committee established tax reform as a priority when it approved its 2018 budget resolution earlier this year. The Senate Budget Committee’s draft resolution released Sept. 29 did the same. So far, so good. On this, at least, the House and Senate are working like they’re supposed to.

{mosads}The reason this matters is familiar to every policy wonk in Washington. In addition to setting spending and tax targets, the budget resolution can also include instructions for reconciliation – a process to establish and achieve policy priorities more easily. This includes expediting debate and allowing for passage of tax reform with 51 votes in the Senate. So, no filibuster.

Tax reform should not be done in a partisan manner. Both parties know the tax code is broken. Even presidents Obama and Clinton admitted that high taxes were hamstringing American businesses. It’s unfortunate for American workers, families and businesses that the Democrat leadership has already signaled its hostility to the tax reform framework, but Republicans should not let that stand in the way of this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

That’s why both the House and Senate resolutions include reconciliation for tax reform, and quickly moving those measures is crucial. So it was encouraging to see the House approve its budget resolution Thursday. The Senate Budget Committee is also moving swiftly, meeting this week to fill in the details of last week’s draft. There’s a lot riding on this, especially since it’s probably congressional Republicans’ last chance to deliver this year on the core promises made during last year’s election campaign.

The solution to such worries is to deliver. Members wanting to cut special deals or horse trade, especially at the last minute, should learn from the health care failures and keep the end goal in mind. This will be especially important when well-connected special interests swarm the halls of Congress, lobbying to preserve their tax breaks. They should remember the tax system is rigged in favor of those powerful interests, hurts American families and workers, and holds back the economy. And, most of all, that voters are depending on them.

In the wake of the ObamaCare repeal effort, voters are looking for results. And a vote against the budget resolution is a vote against tax reform.

For those who complain that tax reform will grow the deficit, we’ll refer you to Ronald Reagan, who observed correctly that we don’t have a debt problem because we haven’t taxed people enough; it’s because we spend too much. Besides, experience tells another story: tax cuts in the 1960s, 1980s and 2000s were all followed by increased federal revenue. Then as now, it is spending that is exploding. The House budget resolution, in addition to paving the way for tax reform, includes details on where to trim some of the growth in runaway spending.

Delay serves the status quo, and preserving a rigged tax system won’t help ordinary Americans who expect their members of Congress to deliver on the promises they made. The first step in keeping the promise of tax reform is to pass a budget resolution that makes it possible.

Alison Acosta Winters is a senior policy fellow at Americans for Prosperity, a nonprofit group aimed at promoting limited government.