What's the latest on Trump's "big, beautiful" bill?
Asked 12 days ago
Answer
Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill is facing significant hurdles in the Senate. The bill, which includes deep Medicaid cuts, trillions in tax cuts, and a debt ceiling raise, is under pressure to pass by July 4th. However, the Senate parliamentarian has ruled that several key cost-cutting provisions cannot be included as written, complicating passage and causing division among Republicans. Lawmakers are scrambling to make last-minute changes, but consensus remains uncertain.
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The Trump mega bill has hit a major hurdle after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that major Medicaid provisions, including caps on provider taxes and restrictions on Medicaid access for non-citizens, cannot be included as written. These measures were expected to cut federal spending by $300 billion. Some Republicans are calling to overrule the parliamentarian, but Senate leadership is cautious. Lawmakers are considering tweaks, but the changes will delay and complicate passage.
Senators plan to try tweaks to the provisions that were kicked out by the parliamentarian, such as provider tax credits and restrictions on Medicaid access for immigrants, to see if they can align with Senate rules and still achieve savings. There are nine provisions in total affected. The July 4th deadline is approaching with much left unresolved.
Talks about the so-called big, beautiful bill have spurred division even within the Republican Party. The Senate hopes to vote on the package by the end of the week to meet Trump's July 4th deadline, but there is last-minute scrambling and deal-making. Key sticking points include provisions affecting blue state Republicans and Medicaid, with new proposals emerging to address concerns about rural hospitals.
Trump calls it his big beautiful bill, but Democrats say there's nothing beautiful about it. GOP leaders are scrambling to secure enough support to pass it with a simple majority. One sticking point is Medicaid, which the Senate plan could cut more deeply than the House version. The bill also extends trillions in tax cuts and raises the debt ceiling. Trump is pressuring Congress to finalize the deal, but at least three House Republicans oppose the Senate version without deeper spending cuts.
Trump has posted on Truth Social urging Congress to focus on moving the big, beautiful bill out of the Senate and House and to his desk by the July 4th deadline. There is pressure from both the administration and senior leadership to stick to this plan, but consensus is uncertain, especially among fiscal conservatives concerned about the bill's massive price tag.