President Donald Trump’s signature tax spending bill hit a wall in the Senate. The chamber’s parliamentarian ruled that a major provision slashing Medicaid — worth about $250 billion — violates Senate rules and cannot be passed using the fast-track process Republicans hope to use to dodge a filibuster.
This is a huge setback. Republicans were depending on deep cuts to Medicaid and aid programs to pay for massive tax breaks — a cornerstone of Trump’s economic agenda.
But the Senate’s parliamentarian, Elizabeth McDonough, says provisions like limiting Medicaid provider taxes and denying care to certain immigrants cannot be stuffed into a budget bill just to make the math work.
And the kicker: If Republicans leave those provisions in, they’ll need 60 votes — which they do not have.
Despite this, Trump still wants the bill signed by July 4 — but rewrites, opposition from his own party, and the fact that millions could lose care without billionaires getting tax breaks make that a tough sell.
