Navigating the Complexities of the Reconciliation Bill

Every day this week, we’re going to take a closer look at the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which aims to enact President Donald Trump’s agenda. It proposes a tax cut and increased spending for border security and the military. It also includes cuts to health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs. Today, we explain the rules around what provisions can go into reconciliation bills, and where the bill currently stands in the legislation process now. Plus, we answer questions from listeners on how the bill could affect their student loans and access to higher education.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Senate sidesteps parliamentarian, widens reach of CRA” from Roll Call
• “Republicans face critical week on Trump megabill” from The Hill
• “The Senate is assessing the "Big Beautiful Bill" line by line to eliminate non-budgetary measures” from Marketplace
• “Senate Republican education plan may trigger ‘avalanche of student loan defaults,’ expert says” from CNBC

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.