Budget resolution
Definition
A budget resolution is a concurrent resolution Congress passes to set overall spending, revenue, and deficit targets for the coming fiscal years. It does not go to the president and does not carry the force of law, but it can include reconciliation instructions that let later legislation pass the Senate with a simple majority.
Why it matters
The budget resolution is the gate that opens the reconciliation shortcut. Without one, Congress cannot use reconciliation to bypass the Senate filibuster, which is why passing a budget resolution is often the first fight in a major legislative push, well before anyone drafts the actual bill.
Seen in the wild
In 2025, Congress adopted a budget resolution carrying the reconciliation instructions both chambers later used to pass the tax and spending package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.