The latest maneuvering in Washington’s halls of power has the House GOP finalizing changes to their tax-and-spending reconciliation bill, tweaks necessary to keep the legislation compliant with the Senate’s “Byrd Rule.” Now, before your eyes glaze over at Senate procedure, here’s why it matters: if the bill doesn’t follow this rulebook, it loses its “privileged” status and can be filibustered. That means it’s dead on arrival unless Democrats and Republicans decide to have a Kumbaya moment (spoiler alert: they won’t). So, Republicans made some tough calls. Some are defensible. Some, frankly, aren’t. Let’s walk through each one.

First off, perhaps the most troubling change was the removal of a policy that would have cracked down on the fraud-riddled Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). Created during the pandemic, the ERTC was supposed to help struggling businesses stay afloat. Instead, it turned into a gravy train for scammers, with billions in questionable claims. The original bill sought to claw back around $6.3 billion in bad claims, which is common-sense stewardship. But with the enforcement provision now gone to satisfy Senate rules, it feels like Uncle Sam just left the vault door open and walked out for coffee. As Christians, we’re called to be faithful stewards. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). There’s nothing faithful about letting fraud slide just because the process is inconvenient.

Next, let’s talk about national defense. The bill originally included over $2 billion in military intelligence cuts and half a billion for missile development that have now been scrapped to ensure Senate passage. While some libertarian-minded folks might cheer this as belt-tightening, let’s not forget that a strong defense isn’t optional, it’s biblical and constitutional. Ecclesiastes 3:8 reminds us there’s “a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” In a world where bad actors don’t take sabbaticals, scaling back military preparedness is a recipe for regret. It’s no surprise many in the House GOP were rightly irked.

Another reversal comes in the form of nutrition assistance policy. The original legislation proposed cutting additional SNAP (food stamp) benefits for households that also received federal heating and cooling subsidies. That proposal has now been removed, after pushback from Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins. On this, I say, good. While we should always encourage work and self-reliance, compassion and common sense go hand-in-hand. If a family is cold and hungry, maybe we don’t nitpick which form of aid they qualify for. We help them. This change aligns with Proverbs 14:31: “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.” In a time of inflation and economic pain, a bit of mercy isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom.

Then there’s the controversial matter of mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters wilderness. Originally, the GOP bill would have overturned Biden-era protections that barred mining in the area, allowing Twin Metals to proceed with plans to extract copper and nickel. That provision was also dropped. Now, I’m all for energy independence and tapping into domestic resources, but there’s a difference between dominion and destruction. Genesis 2:15 tells us the Lord God put man in the garden “to dress it and to keep it.” That means we don’t trash it for a quick buck. Preserving God’s natural beauty—especially a place as pristine as Boundary Waters—isn’t just liberal tree-hugging, it’s biblical.

Finally, House Republicans abandoned an extension of a policy requiring federal agencies to procure certain amounts of biofuels or bio-based products. This one’s a mixed bag. On the one hand, forcing agencies to buy products they may not need is wasteful and smells like crony capitalism. On the other hand, rural economies and energy diversification matter, and biofuels offer a cleaner path that doesn’t rely on foreign despots. If the market supports it naturally, great, let it thrive. But if it can’t stand without Uncle Sam’s crutches, maybe it’s not worth mandating.

In total, these tweaks reflect a reality every adult knows: compromise is ugly. Some of the changes—like keeping food on the table for struggling families—are wise and in keeping with our values. Others, like giving tax cheats a free pass or weakening our defenses, are hard pills to swallow. Senate rules may demand some gymnastics, but that doesn’t excuse lawmakers from moral responsibility. As a Christian conservative, I believe that policy should reflect both godly wisdom and practical governance.

In sum, House Republicans got some things right and others dead wrong. If the goal is to build a nation that honors God, defends its people, uplifts the needy, and guards its resources, then we can’t afford to treat reconciliation like a get-it-passed-at-all-costs game. We need integrity. We need courage. And above all, we need to remember Who we’re truly and ultimately accountable to.

May God give our leaders wisdom and the backbone to follow it.