Now And Then: Sen. Grassley Flips On Reconciliation
On May 5, 2009, The Hill reported that Sen. Chuck Grassley viewed the majority's mention of using the reconciliation process as a threat to bipartisan cooperation. But in 2005, Sen. Grassley advocated using reconciliation to pass President Bush's tax cuts. Shockingly, he seems to have changed his mind now that the other party wants to pass legislation.
Sen. Grassley: Once For, Now Against, Reconciliation
Now: Sen. Grassley: "Budget reconciliation changed everything, Grassley said. By choosing to provide themselves a tool to enable health reform to pass the Senate with a simple majority, the Democratic leadership threatened to prevent a bipartisan alliance emerging - and undercut promises made by President Obama, Baucus and others, he said." [The Hill, 5/5/09]
Then: Sen. Grassley: "I prefer regular order, but recent tax legislative history in the Senate suggests the reconciliation option is an important tool to have at our disposal." [Senate Floor Statement, 4/28/05, emphasis added]
Then: Sen. Grassley: "The reconciliation instruction gives us the resources to maintain current law tax relief." [Senate Floor Statement, 4/28/05]
Now and Then: "Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) defended using reconciliation when pushing President George W. Bush's tax cuts through the upper chamber, but has warned Democrats not to do it in 2009." [The Hill, 4/22/09]
