'Massive blow to Republicans' imperils Trump’s signature bill

Punchbowl News reporter Laura Weiss reports the Senate parliamentarian struck down the GOP’s most recent attempt to slash Medicaid.

“The Senate parliamentarian just struck a massive blow to Republicans' Medicaid cuts, per announcement from Senate Budget Dems,” posted Weiss. “NOT compliant w/ Byrd Rule (meaning they need to be stripped or overrule (the parliamentarian): -provider tax crackdown (!!!) -limiting fed $ for states that allow undocumented immigrants to get Medicaid -additional limits on Medicaid, Medicare & ACA premium tax credits for immigrants who aren't citizens. (Parliamentarian) still reviewing MUCH MORE of Finance Committee's health text.”

The parliamentarian polices bills filing through the Senate via the process of reconciliation, and they jettison bill insertions that don’t match the fundamental idea behind legislation. The Senate has been following this extra-step “Byrd rule” since 1974 to validate a process that passes bills by a simple majority rather than a more complicated filibuster-proof majority.

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But The Hill reports Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has been eager with her axe, ruling recently that language Republicans tried to insert in the Senate version of Trump’s Big, Beautiful budget proposal giving insurers incentive to drop abortion coverage also did not square with what is supposed to be simple budget bill.

Senators do retain the option to overrule MacDonough, but the Hill reports some Republican senators may be relieved to not have to defend Medicaid cuts to their voters in a midterm election.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are already a hard “no” on the bill, according to The Hill, and a handful of other Republicans are unwilling to confirm if they’ll even vote to begin debate on the package because they, too, are worried deep Medicaid cuts could kick millions of Americans off coverage and close rural hospitals.

But Medicaid cuts aren’t the only things galling Republicans about their own legislation, say reporters.

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“Nine days until the deadline and Republicans hate this thing,” said Punchowl News reporter Jake Sherman. “ … the number of Republicans dumping on this bill—and not small elements of it. It’s not ‘I want this provision to be like this and not like that.’ Republicans have fundamental problems with this bill … ahead of a July 4 deadline.”

“And this is not a bunch of [Republican] bomb throwers,” agreed fellow Punchbowl Reporter Anna Palmer. “This is a wide swath of members who have problems here with this bill.”