News that Senate Republicans have decided to push through a repeal of the healthcare mandate in the tax bill may seem odd. That one move, so long as it stays in the final bill that comes out of conference, might allow Republicans in the Senate to pass the measure. The Byrd RuleThe Senate has a difficult time passing legislation in the presence of roughly equal Democratic and Republican representation. Both the House and the Senate can use reconciliation for bills that concern only expenditures, revenues, and the federal debt. The Byrd Rule, named for the famous Senator Robert Byrd, forbids the use of reconciliation on any bill "considering extraneous matter."

Source: Forbes November 14, 2017 22:52 UTC