Thomas Daschle: “The Byrd rule requires that there be a sufficient offset or deficit-reduction--and no worsening of the deficit in the…”

“The Byrd rule requires that there be a sufficient offset or deficit-reduction--and no worsening of the deficit in the outyears--to a reconciliation package for it to be in order. But his reconciliation instructions in this resolution trigger a tax provision that does absolutely no deficit reduction, and certainly worsens the deficit beyond the window of the resolution itself. Mr. President, that being the case, only two outcomes are possible. First, there would be no tax reduction after the 6th year; that is, that tax reduction anticipated in this reconciliation package would no longer apply in year 7 because, if it did, there would be a deficit created, and then obviously the Byrd rule would apply. Or, second, there is some sort of offset which is not delineated here.”