"We have contingency plans, plan B, plan C,” John Thune said.
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President Donald Trump is pushing the GOP to get the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which has been passed through the House of Representatives in Congress, through the amendment process in the Senate and running into some hurdles along the way from the Senate Parliamentarian. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has said that the GOP has “contingency plans” for the removal of the major provisions.
After Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough removed a number of provisions from the package, he said, “We have contingency plans, plan B, plan C,” to keep the bill moving, per The Hill.
The package, if signed into law, will implement a number of President Trump's agenda items, including revamping the air traffic control system, cracking down on illegal immigration, and cutting taxes.
This week, however, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who could be considered something of a "referee" to guide the legislative process and implement the rules of the chamber, has been removing portions of the package she has determined to be in need of more than a simple majority in the budget reconciliation process, otherwise known as the "Byrd bath," under the Byrd Rule of the Senate.
The rule was named after late Senator Robert Byrd and restricts what can be passed through budget reconciliation. Budget reconciliation in the Senate is a congressional maneuver such that there is an expedited process for a large package. It enables the Senate to pass the package on simple majority rule and avoid the 60 needed votes to overcome the filibuster. Senators, however, can retool provisions after they have been rejected to be in line with what MacDonough deems to be allowed.
MacDonough has removed a number of provisions from the bill so far, including multiple Medicaid reforms such as barring many illegal immigrants from obtaining Medicaid benefits, blocking federal funds from going to the Children’s Health Insurance Program for sex change operations, and a measure that would change the funding relationship between the states and the federal government on Medicaid funds, saving the federal government billions of dollars.
She has also removed an exemption for religious schools being taxed on their endowments as well as a section that would have deregulated gun silencers as well as some easily concealed firearms.
Additionally, MacDonough has removed a provision added by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) that would have freed up public lands in several midwestern states for purchase, a move meant to increase the supply of land to lower housing cost for residents of Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington state. Lee has introduced a new version of the amendment in hopes of lowering the cost of housing. The measure would open between 612,500 to 1.225 million acres of public lands for purchase.
MacDonough has also blocked language in the bill that would have barred subsidies from going to health plans that cover abortion. On immigration, MacDonough took out language barring noncitizens from getting SNAP benefits as well as provisions that would have authorized states to conduct border security and immigration enforcement.
There are multiple other provisions that MacDonough has removed, leading some GOP lawmakers to call for her removal, however, Thune has said that he is not seeking to remove her, and is wanting to get the package to Trump’s desk for signing by July 4, a deadline that the GOP has set to pass the package.
On Thursday, Trump held an event to highlight how the bill would benefit everyday Americans, including the extension of the Trump tax cuts, the implementation of his campaign promise of “No Tax On Tips," among other measures.
During the conference, Trump highlighted stories of different Americans the bill would help, and told reporters that it is "the single most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress."
After Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough removed a number of provisions from the package, he said, “We have contingency plans, plan B, plan C,” to keep the bill moving, per The Hill.
The package, if signed into law, will implement a number of President Trump's agenda items, including revamping the air traffic control system, cracking down on illegal immigration, and cutting taxes.
This week, however, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who could be considered something of a "referee" to guide the legislative process and implement the rules of the chamber, has been removing portions of the package she has determined to be in need of more than a simple majority in the budget reconciliation process, otherwise known as the "Byrd bath," under the Byrd Rule of the Senate.
The rule was named after late Senator Robert Byrd and restricts what can be passed through budget reconciliation. Budget reconciliation in the Senate is a congressional maneuver such that there is an expedited process for a large package. It enables the Senate to pass the package on simple majority rule and avoid the 60 needed votes to overcome the filibuster. Senators, however, can retool provisions after they have been rejected to be in line with what MacDonough deems to be allowed.
MacDonough has removed a number of provisions from the bill so far, including multiple Medicaid reforms such as barring many illegal immigrants from obtaining Medicaid benefits, blocking federal funds from going to the Children’s Health Insurance Program for sex change operations, and a measure that would change the funding relationship between the states and the federal government on Medicaid funds, saving the federal government billions of dollars.
She has also removed an exemption for religious schools being taxed on their endowments as well as a section that would have deregulated gun silencers as well as some easily concealed firearms.
Additionally, MacDonough has removed a provision added by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) that would have freed up public lands in several midwestern states for purchase, a move meant to increase the supply of land to lower housing cost for residents of Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington state. Lee has introduced a new version of the amendment in hopes of lowering the cost of housing. The measure would open between 612,500 to 1.225 million acres of public lands for purchase.
MacDonough has also blocked language in the bill that would have barred subsidies from going to health plans that cover abortion. On immigration, MacDonough took out language barring noncitizens from getting SNAP benefits as well as provisions that would have authorized states to conduct border security and immigration enforcement.
There are multiple other provisions that MacDonough has removed, leading some GOP lawmakers to call for her removal, however, Thune has said that he is not seeking to remove her, and is wanting to get the package to Trump’s desk for signing by July 4, a deadline that the GOP has set to pass the package.
On Thursday, Trump held an event to highlight how the bill would benefit everyday Americans, including the extension of the Trump tax cuts, the implementation of his campaign promise of “No Tax On Tips," among other measures.
During the conference, Trump highlighted stories of different Americans the bill would help, and told reporters that it is "the single most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress."
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