Senate Parliamentarian Deals Huge Blow To Critical Part Of GOP's ‘Big Beautiful Bill'

WASHINGTON – The Senate parliamentarian said that major Medicaid cuts in the GOP’s massive tax and spending package violate the chamber’s rules — a big setback for President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.

Republicans already were having big disagreements over the Medicaid provisions of their so-called Big Beautiful Bill, and the parliamentarian’s ruling threatens to blow up the legislation altogether. 

The core of the bill is a package of tax cuts costing around $4 trillion financed in part by about $1 trillion in spending cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Senate’s in-house rules expert has now thrown the cuts into doubt, potentially making it even harder for Republicans to claim the legislation is fiscally responsible. 

The rulings announced Thursday morning by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who has led Democrats’ challenges to the bill’s provisions in closed-door meetings with the parliamentarian, concern cuts to Medicaid funding for states that cover noncitizens, a ban on gender-affirming care in the Children’s Health Insurance Program and a limit on “provider taxes” states use to finance their portion of Medicaid spending. 

“Democrats are fighting back against Republicans’ plans to gut Medicaid, dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and kick kids, veterans, seniors, and folks with disabilities off of their health insurance — all to fund tax breaks for billionaires,” Merkley said in a statement.

Senate Republicans already had been trying to rework their provider tax cut in order to win over moderates. Now they’ll have to go back to the drawing board with less than two weeks until a self-imposed July Fourth deadline to get the bill to Trump’s desk. 

The biggest Medicaid cut in the bill ― new “work requirements” for nondisabled adults ― remains intact.

Republicans could try to rework the stripped-out provisions and make their case again to the parliamentarian for why they do comply with the Senate’s rules under a special fast-track process that avoids a filibuster. They could try to find budget savings elsewhere to offset the cost of the tax cuts in the bill. Or they could try a more controversial maneuver and vote to overturn the ruling, which is technically an advisory opinion. Any option would take more time off the clock. 

The Senate was expected to begin voting on the package as soon as Friday to meet Trump’s deadline. It’s unclear whether that’s still the case.

Reacting to the decision, conservative House Republicans urged their Senate counterparts to overrule the parliamentarian, which would require 51 votes. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has repeatedly said that Republicans would not do that. It’s unclear if they’d have the votes to do so even if they tried.

“The rogue Senate Parliamentarian should be overruled, just like activist judges,” Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) wrote in a post online.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.