During a press conference in Washington, D.C., House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) urged Congress to approve a second budget reconciliation bill, which he referred to as "Reconciliation 2.0." The goal of the proposed legislation is to promote economic growth and address affordability concerns for working families.
Chairman Arrington stated that the objectives of Reconciliation 2.0 include reducing health care costs, advancing President Trump’s trade policies, and addressing waste and fraud in federal programs. He emphasized preventing future incidents similar to those previously seen in Minnesota.
In his remarks, Arrington said: "Thank you. Chairman Pfluger, my friend, my neighbor, my fellow West Texan. You had me at hello. Reconciliation 2.0, the most powerful and potent legislative tool in the toolbox for us to fix what's broken, to clean up this mess, and to give our fellow Americans a safer, stronger, more prosperous and more affordable country...
"Look, policies have consequences, and the four years of the Biden-Harris Administration, of total Democratic control, with failed economic policies and unbridled, unprecedented trillions of dollars in deficit spending, pushed our economy to the brink of a sovereign debt crisis, put us in a recessionary situation, and made life unaffordable.
"They lit the fuse on the cost-of-living crisis in this country; we haven't seen this level of unaffordability in almost a half a century. They were paying people not to work. They were giving health care and welfare to people in this country illegally. They were bailing out student loans and union pensions. They were expanding the IRS by tens of billions of dollars. They were taxing our job creators. They had a whole of government assault on the lifeblood of our economy, which is our domestic conventional fuel supply, and the list goes on.
"That was the Molotov cocktail that put us in an economic tailspin and put our families, our working families, in a bad way.
"The American people gave us unified Republican leadership. They gave us Donald Trump, a new CEO, competent leadership. They want common sense policies, and they want to be able to feed their families and pay the bills. We passed the One Big Beautiful Bill. It's big because it was the largest tax cut, spending cut, welfare reform, and energy deregulation in the history of our country. It's beautiful because of its impact on our fellow Americans who are struggling every day because of the disaster, the self-inflicted disaster of the Biden failed economic agenda.
"Look at what's happening. Real wages are up for the first time in four or five years prior to the Biden Administration, because they're outpacing inflation. Core inflation is coming down. Interest rates in the long-term and short-term are coming down. Business investment is up. Consumer spending is still strong. Growth is at 4.3 percent. We put a 2.6 percent assumption in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and you would have thought people went crazy. Are you sure you can achieve 2.6 percent? Growth was 4.3 percent last quarter; the quarter before, 3.8 percent—because policies have consequences, and we created economic freedom.
"Instead of lighting the fuse of inflation with bad policies, we’re lighting the fuse of prosperity with economic freedom. And by the way, the One Big Beautiful Bill was the largest tax refund—$100 billion and another $100 billion in less withholdings. People are putting more money in their pockets.
"Listen, and I'm just talking about the affordability issue. I do think it's the most important issue for November. I think it's the most important issue for the American people. They have total confidence that President Trump's going to secure the border. He's going to enforce the law and keep them safe,and he's going to restore respect onthe global stage with peace through strength.The question going into November is,c an we accelerate what we're seeing with gas prices coming down,rent coming down,and lower mortgage rates?
"People paid an averageof $1 ,000 more fortheir monthly mortgage becauseofthe failed policiesofthe Biden Administration.In justa yearof goodeconomicpolicies ,they're paying$200 less .
"All boats will riseonprosperity .
"We havethe lowest povertyratein recordedhistory fromwhenweputthesepolicies inplaceinthefirstTrumpAdministration .We'vegot todoubledownlikeneverbefore,becausewehavetodigoutofabighole,andwehavetoReverseTheCurse.That iswhatthisisaboutuphere .That'swhyIlovetheseguys,andIcommendthemfortheirefforts.Andthat'swhyIhaveconfidencethatwhenNovembercomes,lifewillbebetter .Qualityoflifewillbebetter .
"AndtheAmericanpeople?WewillearntheirconfidencetokeepthisunifiedRepublicanleadershipteaminplaceandcontinuetodogreatthingsforthegreatestcountryinhumanhistory."
The House Budget Committee manages federal expenditures by creating budget resolutions while providing oversight for long-term fiscal programs (official website). It also collaborates with key committees such as Ways and Means as part of its responsibilities within Congress (official website). As chairman (official website), Arrington has played an active role in shaping these efforts using tools like reconciliation processes (official website).
The committee continues its work from Washington D.C., operating as part of broader government fiscal policy oversight since its establishment under legislation passed in 1974 (official website).
