Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ is dealt yet another blow

The Senate parliamentarian delivered a significant setback to the Republicans of the Congress and the extended internal order of President Donald Trump on Thursday, otherwise known as “A great nice bill. “”
THE very unpopular The legislation which is so at the heart of Trump’s policy objectives was already on trembling floor Due to its main premise: Cut law programs Like Medicaid to Fund Tax reductions For societies and rich. Now, about a week before the Trump administration self-imposed July 4 sign the deadline, it is also collapsed for procedural reasons.
The Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth Macdonough, a non -partisan advisor who helps senators navigate in procedures and rules, determined that Several key provisions Legislation violates the Senate’s budgetary rules and cannot be included in the accelerated reconciliation process that Republicans use to bypass a democratic filibusier. Among the victims are limits on Student loans reimbursement options And a controversial repression of the use by the states of the “fae of the supplier tax” to guarantee more federal dollars of Medicaid.
The latter poses a big problem. Almost all states use the escape in a certain form, and the senators of states who depend on it – in particular those who have rural hospitals – have warned They do not support the invoice Unless it is changed.
Related | Americans see great pain in Trump’s `Nice Ideal ”
Macdonough’s decision forces the leaders of the GOP with the drawing board. If they cannot recover the strike arrangements, They will lose more than According to Bobby Kogan, $ 500 billion in expected spending discounts, according to Bobby Kogan, a former staff member of the Democratic Senate Budget Committee with the Center for American Progress. And unless they find a bypass, the Republicans would need 60 votes to keep these provisions – an improbable perspective given the narrow margin of the Gop Senate.
Meanwhile, tax reductions at the heart of the invoice stand.
This is not the first time that Macdonough has been blocking parts of the GOP’s wishes list. She is previously Attempts rejected to reduce the advantages of investigation and Limit the authority of federal judges To block Trump’s policies.
Its decision sparked immediate indignation among the conservatives, some Republicans now openly calling for its withdrawal.
“The Senate parliamentarian is not elected. She is not responsible before the American people. However, it holds the right of veto on the legislation supported by millions of voters, “said Greg Steube representative of Florida poster on social networks.
Senator Tommy Tuberville went further, attacking the “woken parliamentarian” for rejecting the reductions in states that finance health care for undocumented immigrants.
“This is a perfect example of the reason why the Americans hate the marsh”, the alabama senator wrote. “Non -elected bureaucrats believe that they know better than the members of the American Congress who are elected by the people. His work is not to push an awake program. The Senate parliamentarian should be dismissed as soon as possible. ”
Unsurprisingly, the Democrats welcomed the decision.

“The Republicans rush to rewrite parties of this bill to continue to lose their families and the billionaires earn the agenda,” said Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon. “But Democrats are ready to fully examine changes and ensure that the Byrd rule is applied.”
Macdonough, for its part, has blocked many democratic priorities, in particular Increase the federal minimum wage at $ 15 and party games immigration reform efforts. She is a Neutral rules arbiternot a political actor. If republicans do not like the process, they can always eliminate obstructionA tactic that actually requires a supermajority of 60 vote to adopt legislation. So far, they haven’t done it.
However, the parliamentarian’s decision could be decisive. The Republicans of the Senate had hoped to vote this weekend or earlier To give the house time to finalize the changes and bring the invoice to the office of Trump before its vacation deadline. This chronology now seems uncertain.
Leader of the majority of the Senate John Thune attempted to minimize Chaos.
“These are slowders along the way; we have planned it and so we have emergency plans,” said Thune. He also added that the Republicans would not try to cancel Macdonough guide.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was less optimistic, suggesting The GOP would “probably” still a vote this weekend.
Behind the scenes, the Republicans try to modify the arrangements that Macdonough has struck, although it is not clear if they can be modified or must be completely deleted. A GOP source said Axios That the party always hopes to “find a solution to obtain the desired results”.
Otherwise, they are stuck. And for Trump, it’s another eminent Legislative obstacle – This time of an arbitrator of the unleashed rules between him and a desperately sought -after victory.
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