Republicans Scramble After Senate Parliamentarian Nixes Deep Cuts From 'Big Beautiful Bill'

The Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, has struck down nine major provisions in the Republican's healthcare bill, including cuts to Medicaid and restrictions on immigrant healthcare access. The provisions were part of the GOP's effort to cut $250 billion in healthcare spending. The parliamentarian's rulings have dealt a significant blow to the Republican's bill, which is already facing internal opposition from some members. The rejected provisions include plans to reduce federal expenses by cracking down on state provider taxes, restricting immigrant access to Medicaid, and limiting funding for "gender-affirming care". Republicans are now trying to rework the language to get the provisions back into the bill. Some Republicans are optimistic that they can make changes to the language to keep the provisions, while others are outraged, calling the parliamentarian's decisions "technical" and "unaccountable". Rep. Greg Steube has called on Vice President JD Vance to overrule the parliamentarian and allow the will of the people to determine the future of the country. The Senate parliamentarian's guidance is not legally binding, and Senate Republicans can choose to ignore her rulings in two ways: by having the presiding officer overrule her or by firing or replacing her. This has happened before, in 2001, when the Republican-controlled Senate replaced the parliamentarian over disagreements on tax cuts. The parliamentarian's decisions have sparked controversy and debate over the role of unelected officials in shaping legislation.