Advertisement Medicaid cuts ruling may derail Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ Senate Republicans are facing complex procedural rules as they push to pass a sweeping bill with permanent tax cuts and increased spending on border security, the military and fossil fuels. Editorial Standards ⓘ

Senate Republicans are entering a high-stakes weekend session as they work to pass President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda, facing last-minute procedural challenges that could jeopardize passage of the “big, beautiful bill.”The bill aims to make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent and increase spending on border security, the military and fossil fuels. To offset the trillions of dollars the tax cuts are projected to add to the deficit, Republicans are looking at major changes to Medicaid and food stamps, which provide health care and assistance to low-income and disabled people.To increase their odds of passing the bill, Senate Republicans are using a special process called reconciliation, allowing them to pass the bill with a simple majority of 50 votes instead of the usual 60. But on Thursday, the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan referee who oversees what can and cannot be used in the bill, said that a tax break for Medicaid providers does not adhere to procedural rules, posing a significant Republican setback.”I don’t think that whatever happens in the next day or so with the redrafting of language will push us beyond the weekend window,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said. “We’re still working through individual items, but we’re getting very close because everybody’s committed to delivering on President Trump’s campaign promises.”Some criticized the Senate parliamentarian, calling on Republicans to reconsider the provision quickly.”The biggest scam I’ve ever seen since I’ve been up here, and that’s saying a lot,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said. “I think we’ll take another run at it, but I have no intention of overruling her.”With a self-imposed deadline to deliver the bill to Trump’s desk by July 4, Republicans face three options: drop the nixed provisions, rewrite them, or ignore the parliamentarian and risk a major political and likely legal fight.”Ideally, we need to be voting this weekend, but the timeline is getting pushed because of some changes we got to do in the bill to make some things work,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said. “Every time that happens, it delays it by hours. So I feel confident that we’re still going to be voting.”Others expressed openness to reworking the bill.”If retooling means I can get answers to what I consider to be fundamental questions, I’m open to it,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said. “But if retooling means I’m still not going to get the answers I need to understand the impact on the state, I’m opposed to it.”Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., emphasized protecting vulnerabilities in the health care system.”Whatever happens in terms of the way this thing is structured, we’ve got to protect rural hospitals and no Medicaid benefit cuts,” Hawley said. “We need to pass tax relief for working people with no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security.”Reconciliation bills can only make budgetary changes, not policy changes, to the law. With that, the Senate parliamentarian ruled out even more provisions from the bill, including restructuring student loan repayment plans, barring some immigrants from Medicaid and other health care programs, and shutting down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.The Senate will not consider the “big, beautiful bill” Friday, but is expected to vote on a war powers resolution requiring congressional approval if the president decides to strike Iran again. Trump has not ruled out another strike, suggesting he would order it if Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program.Check out the latest from the Washington News Bureau below.