Latest news with #SenateGOP
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Senate Unveils New Trump Tax Draft With Plans to Vote Soon
Senate Republicans unveiled a new version of their $4.2 trillion tax and spending package, moving closer to a vote as they near a July 4 deadline set by President Donald Trump. The new draft reflects compromises among warring factions of the Senate GOP which has been divided over how much to cut safety-net programs such as Medicaid and how rapidly to phase out of renewable energy tax credits enacted under the Biden administration.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who is the Senate parliamentarian and why does she have so much control over Trump's tax bill?
WASHINGTON — The official procedural adviser for the Senate has come under fire after issuing a number of rulings that remove key components of Republicans' massive tax package, with some lawmakers even suggesting to remove her from her post. A growing number of Republicans have pushed to fire Elizabeth MacDonough, who has served as the Senate parliamentarian since 2012 after being appointed by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. But after stripping several Medicaid-related provisions in President Donald Trump's tax bill on Thursday, some lawmakers want to fire her amid accusations of political bias. '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,' Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said in a post on X. 'Her job is not to push a woke agenda. THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN SHOULD BE FIRED ASAP.' A handful of other Republicans have echoed those calls, accusing MacDonough of illegally blocking Trump's agenda. However, GOP leaders such as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have brushed off those suggestions, arguing it would set a bad precedent. Thune also rejected overruling the parliamentarian on her decisions about what can and cannot be included in the reconciliation package, telling reporters 'that would not be a good option for getting a bill done.' The parliamentarian acts as an adviser to the Senate by interpreting its rules and procedures to determine how certain legislation can be advanced. In the reconciliation process, the parliamentarian must review all provisions and proposals to ensure it adheres to the strict rules that allow the package to be free from the filibuster. Through the budget reconciliation process, Republicans can circumvent Democratic opposition and prevent a filibuster to expedite the passage of certain legislation and go around the minority party by enacting key pieces of their agenda with a simple majority vote. But there are certain rules that dictate how often reconciliation can be used, and the procedure can only be utilized to advance budget-related legislation such as taxes, spending and the debt limit. The parliamentarian is responsible for reviewing each provision based on those guidelines to approve whether it is subject to a simple-majority vote or must go through the filibuster process. Republicans have gotten increasingly frustrated with MacDonough after a series of rulings that determined key provisions related to Medicaid did not adhere to reconciliation rules, forcing party leaders to either rewrite those portions or remove them altogether. One of the most controversial proposals removed from the bill is language seeking to crack down on state provider taxes, which are taxes placed by states on medical providers like hospitals and clinics that then boost reimbursement from the federal government. The proposed bill sought to reduce that tax from the current 6% down to 3.5%, raising concerns among lawmakers from states they say rely on that tax to provide money for health coverage. The removal of that provision deals a major blow to Republicans as they estimated it would save billions of dollars to help pay for the tax cut extensions. That decision prompted outrage from House and Senate Republicans, who said MacDonough should be fired over accusations of bias. '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,' said Florida Rep. Greg Steube. 'It is time for our elected leaders to take back control. (Vice President JD Vance) should overrule the Parliamentarian and let the will of the people, not some staffer hiding behind Senate procedure, determine the future of this country.' Although MacDonough is currently a target of accusations that she is biased against Republicans, just a few years ago the parliamentarian was making similar rulings against Democrats. MacDonough also oversaw Democrats' reconciliation efforts in 2021 when she ruled against a provision to increase the federal minimum wage, prompting anger from Democrats who controlled both chambers of Congress at the time. Since the latest rulings, a handful of Senate and House Republicans have urged their colleagues to either fire the parliamentarian or simply ignore her rulings. While the Senate majority leader holds the power to fire the parliamentarian, it doesn't appear Thune is eager to do so. The top Senate Republican has repeatedly indicated he would follow the rulings issued by MacDonough and that he has contingency plans to readjust the tax provisions that have so far been stripped from the bill. However, there is historical precedent for removing the parliamentarian. Then-Majority Leader Trent Lott removed Robert Dove from the position in 2001 due to similar disputes over budget reconciliation rulings.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Trump's massive agenda bill faces headwinds in the Senate after key ruling from chamber's rules referee
The timeline to pass President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill by July 4 could slip as Republican lawmakers scramble to retool their bill to meet Senate rules and garner enough support in a deeply divided GOP conference. Senate GOP leaders had hoped to move Trump's massive agenda in their chamber by Saturday morning, giving it to Speaker Mike Johnson to jam it through the House by Tuesday — so the president could sign it by the Fourth of July. But Thursday morning, the Senate's rules referee, parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, struck down key provisions, saying they don't meet the chamber's strict budget rules that must be followed so the bill can be approved by a simple majority of 51 votes – or just GOP support. 'We don't control the timing of the parliamentarian. That's obviously something that we have to adapt to but we're plowing forward and when we actually get on it still is an open question, but rest assured we will,' Senate Republican Leader John Thune told reporters when asked about bill timing, saying they have 'contingency plans' for such 'speed bumps.' Chief among the denied provisions is the GOP's proposed changes to taxes that states can impose to help pay for Medicaid coverage – an issue known as the provider tax – which could have raised $200 billion to pay for programs in the bill. Now, Republican leaders are scrambling to retool the provision so it can both meet Senate rules and pass muster with a divided Senate GOP conference. It's unclear how long that process will take, according to several senior GOP sources. The parliamentarian has made a number of other notable rulings, but her determination that increases to provider taxes do not comply with budget rules means Republicans will have to find another way to offset the cost of the president's massive domestic policy bill just days before GOP leadership wanted to vote on it. Thune has previously ruled out trying to overrule the parliamentarian, worried about the precedent that would set for the chamber. 'We'll continue our work and find a solution to achieve the desired results,' a Republican source familiar with the negotiations told CNN Thursday morning. Potential changes to the Medicaid program have badly divided the Senate GOP, with a number of members – including Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine, among others – worried that the new limits would devastate rural hospitals in their states. Others, still, want deeper Medicaid cuts to help pay for the multi-trillion-dollar tax overhaul in the bill. Republican leadership is looking to see if they can make changes to the bill's Medicaid provisions to resubmit to the Senate parliamentarian, in the hopes that she'll accept it the second time around. Hawley said Thursday morning that he prefers the House's model, which froze provider tax rates at current levels, and said he had spoken with Trump Wednesday evening and that the president agreed with him. But the House's approach to provider taxes, which was also included in the Senate bill, was also ruled out of order by the parliamentarian. 'His message was, do what the House did, so I agree with that,' he said, adding, 'If the leadership wants to redraft, my advice would be, why don't you do what the House did.' Pressed on the fact that the parliamentarian also overruled a freeze on provider taxes, Hawley answered, 'They're gonna have to redraft all of it, but this would be a chance to fix it.' 'This would be a chance for leadership to fix it and actually do something right here that's not gonna hurt rural hospitals,' he continued, without providing more details on what provisions he wants to see in a new draft that he thinks could withstand the parliamentarian's review. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who is up for reelection in 2026, has warned his colleagues for the last week that he won't vote to proceed to full Senate debate on the bill unless he gets state-specific answers. 'I'm still looking at answers to questions, so whether or not we retool that, or go back to the House baseline and build off there, I think those are discussions that the leadership will be having today,' Tillis told CNN. 'If retooling means I can get answers to what I consider to be fundamental questions, I'm open to it. But if retooling means I'm still not going to get the answers I need to understand the impact of the state, I'm opposed to it.' A number of Republican senators cautioned their timeline for passing the megabill had been upended by the parliamentarian's ruling, venting their frustrations on Capitol Hill in the hours after it came down. 'I'm concerned about the parliamentarian's ability to make these decisions,' Sen. Markwayne Mullin said, suggesting without evidence that 'it seems politically motivated.' 'The parliamentarians are not supposed to be in politics — and I'm not accusing her of that, I haven't heard her explanation of it. I want to see it before I just take this decision. I want to see how she got to the decision,' the Oklahoma Republican said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville went further, calling for the parliamentarian to be fired. '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. This is a perfect example of why Americans hate THE SWAMP,' Tuberville wrote on X. The Senate parliamentarian is a nonpartisan position that was created in the 1930s. In the role, MacDonough, the first woman to serve as parliamentarian, is tasked with advising the chamber on how its rules, protocols and precedents should be applied. That includes advising senators in a bill-review process known as a 'Byrd Bath' when they are looking to use Senate budget rules to pass a bill with a simple majority. Senators acknowledged that the parliamentarian's rulings could slow their timeline for passing the bill. 'One option, obviously, would be to go forward without the provider tax provisions, and we could do it pretty quickly,' Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said, noting that deficit hawks in the GOP conference would 'be screaming like they're part of a prison riot,' if leadership took that path. 'Another option would be to rewrite it, which will delay things. Will [Senate Majority Leader] Thune keep us here until we give them re-written? I don't know,' he continued. Saying 'it's pretty frustrating,' Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott insisted he's optimistic his conference can rework the language. Pressed, however, on whether the legislation could still pass the Senate this weekend, as Republicans had hoped, Scott said: 'Who knows? I'm up here until we get it done.'
Deccan Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Republican lawmakers cheer strike on Iran as top democrats condemn it
To those concerned about U.S. involvement— this isn't a 'forever war' in fact, it's ending one. @POTUS was clear: Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. The Republican-led @SenateGOP trusts President Trump to keep America safe, free, and prosperous. Peace through strength. — Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) June 22, 2025 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 — John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) June 22, 2025
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Several provisions fail to pass muster with Senate rules in 'big, beautiful bill'
Several provisions in the Senate GOP's version of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" have run afoul of Senate rules and must be stripped if Republicans want to pass the package without the help of Democrats. The bill is undergoing what's called a "Byrd Bath," when the parliamentarian meticulously combs through each section of the mammoth bill to determine whether policies comport with the Senate's Byrd Rule. The point of the budget reconciliation process is to skirt the Senate filibuster and pass a massive, partisan legislative package. But if provisions are left in that fail the test, Senate Republicans will have to meet the typical 60-vote threshold. Provisions that don't pass muster can still be appealed, however. Senate Democrats vowed to use the Byrd Bath as a cudgel against the Senate GOP to inflict as much pain as possible and slow momentum as Republicans rush to put the colossal bill on Trump's desk by July 4. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., could also overrule the parliamentarian but has remained adamant he would not attempt such a move. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough scrutinized three chunks of the megabill from the Senate Banking, Environment and Public Works and Armed Services committees and found numerous policies that failed to meet the Byrd Rule's requirements. Among those was a provision that would have eliminated funding for a target of the GOP's since its inception in 2008, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which would have effectively eliminated the agency. Doing so also would have slashed $6.4 billion in spending. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., said in a statement he would "remain committed to cutting wasteful spending at the CFPB and will continue working with the Senate parliamentarian on the Committee's provisions." Attempts to put guardrails on the $150 billion in Defense Department funding baked into the package also failed to pass muster. The language would have required that Pentagon officials outline how the money would be spent by a certain deadline or see the funding reduced. Other provisions on the chopping block include language that cut $300 million from the Financial Research Fund and cut jobs and move the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board under the umbrella of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which would have saved roughly $773 million. An attempt to change the pay schedule for Federal Reserve employees was also nixed, which would have saved about $1.4 billion. Environmental standards and regulations set by the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act were also determined to have run afoul of the Byrd Rule, including a repeal of tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles with a model year of 2027 and later.
