When it comes to reconciliation, there is no House versus Senate

As a former senior staffer and creature of the U.S. House, I take no pleasure in pointing out that it holds an inflated view of its role in the reconciliation process.

This isn't a knee-jerk reaction to recent media reports suggesting that the Senate merely needs to “take” what the House does and pass it. Rather, it is a reflection of the statutory framework that governs budget reconciliation in Congress.

Reconciliation, as it operates in the House, exists to originate a revenue...