Senate parliamentarian scraps GOPs Medicaid reforms in big beautiful bill

WASHINGTON — Republicans faced another obstacle to passing President Trump’s “big beautiful bill” Thursday after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that several health care spending reforms would need 60 votes to pass rather than the 51 sought by the GOP — likely preventing hundreds of billions of dollars in potential savings.Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough determined that some of the megabill’s Medicaid provisions — including changes to federal funding for US states’ share of health care provider taxes — were not eligible for approval via the simple-majority gambit, known as reconciliation.Other axed provisions eliminated some Medicaid eligibility for non-citizen adults and children and lowered Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding percentages for states that let non-citizens obtain health care coverage from 90% to 80%.Still another section that failed to pass muster with MacDonough blocked federal funding for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to provide gender-transition medical care.“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,” erupted Sen.Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

“This is a perfect example of why Americans hate THE SWAMP.”“Unelected bureaucrats think they know better than U.S.Congressmen who are elected BY THE PEOPLE,” he added.

“Her job is not to push a woke agenda.THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN SHOULD BE FIRED ASAP.”“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?” griped Rep.

Greg Steube (R-Fla.).“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 fu...