Medicaid Ruling by Senate Parliamentarian Sparks Republican Outrage
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Some Republican lawmakers are calling for the Senate parliamentarian to be immediately relieved of her duties after ruling against GOP-introduced health care provisions on programs like Medicaid.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump's touted One Big Beautiful Bill Act intends to deliver on myriad priorities including additional funding for border security and immigration enforcement. Critics have scrutinized the bill and contained Medicaid cuts for negatively affecting Americans while simulatenously providing tax cuts for wealthy Americans.
What To Know
On Thursday, several Republicans reacted strongly to Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough rejected provisions deemed by Republicans to be integral to the bill's success and future tax cuts—including one measure affiliated with Medicaid that would be stricter with states that have developed methods to obtain more federal Medicaid funding.
Another measure prohibits adults and children from federally participating in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) if their citizenship, nationality or immigration status cannot be verified—overriding a current 90-day "reasonable opportunity period" in effect that allows running verification in states.
"The WOKE Senate Parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid and advised Al Gore, just STRUCK DOWN a provision BANNING illegals from stealing Medicaid from American citizens," Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama posted on X. "This is a perfect example of why Americans hate THE SWAMP."
The same post called for MacDonough to be "fired ASAP," referring to her as an "unelected bureaucrat" who thinks she knows better than duly elected members of Congress.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) talks to reporters as he walks to the Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) talks to reporters as he walks to the Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.Florida Representative Greg Steube echoed Tuberville's response, also referring to MacDonough as part of the "swamp."
"How is it that an unelected swamp bureaucrat, who was appointed by Harry Reid over a decade ago, gets to decide what can and cannot go in President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill?" Steube wrote on X. "The Senate Parliamentarian is not elected. She is not accountable to the American people. Yet she holds veto power over legislation supported by millions of voters. It is time for our elected leaders to take back control."
He called for Vice President JD Vance to overrule MacDonough, described as "some staffer hiding behind Senate procedure."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, however, said he has no plans to attempt to overrule MacDonough with a simple majority vote, calling the development a "speed bump," according to The Hill.
Republican Senator John Kennedy said MacDonough's ruling should not lead to action towards her by lawmakers.
"We all have respect for the parliamentarian," Kennedy said, per The Hill. "I think that she's very fair, and I don't think that she should be fired nor do I think she will be fired."
What People Are Saying
Republican Representative Mary Miller: "We need to be a force against evil, against bad ideas, and against the Parliamentarian or whoever is trying to take a wrecking ball to the big, beautiful bill."
Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw on X: "I don't think it's good strategy to die on every hill, but THIS is a hill we should fight for."
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene on X: "I love President Trump and I really want to vote to pass his agenda in the Big Beautiful Bill when it comes back to the House from the Senate, but between the far left Senate Parliamentarian stripping out many of our good provisions and the special interest lobbyists sneaking in dirty poison pills like 10 year state moratoriums on AI, I'm currently a NO."
What Happens Next
Thune, who said Republicans tried to pack in as much savings as they could in the bill, plans to keep major provisions in and rework them.
"There are things that we can do," Thune said. "There are other ways of getting to that same outcome."
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