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Senate rulekeeper deals blows to revised 'Big, beautiful bill'
Senate rulekeeper deals huge blows to Trump’s revised ‘Big, beautiful bill’
— Jon Cooper (@joncooper-us.bsky.social) 2025-06-29T18:21:01.293Z
A Medicaid carveout for Alaska was among the “Byrd bath†casualties.
A Medicaid carveout for Alaska was among the “Byrd bath” casualties.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/29/megabill-byrd-alaska-megabill-parliamentarian-00431730
The Senate’s rewritten domestic policy bill faces new hurdles after the parliamentarian advised senators Sunday that several provisions violate the chamber’s strict rules for budget reconciliation bills.
The rulings, released in a memo from Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee, come as Senate Republicans are still trying to ensure they have the votes for final passage of their signature legislation.
Two provisions added to the bill just days ago — and tailored specifically to boost Medicaid payments to Alaska and Hawaii — have been ruled to violate the Senate’s Byrd rule. That limits what can pass through the reconciliation process with a simple majority.
GOP leaders had hoped the Medicaid provisions focused on non-contiguous states, along with other Alaska-friendly changes, would be enough to win the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). She had voiced concerns over deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Murkowski voted to move forward with the bill Saturday night after making committee chairs and leadership sweat.
Elsewhere, Senate Republicans attempted to expand a Medicare drug-price negotiation exemption for “orphan” drugs to include medicines that treat multiple rare diseases. But the parliamentarian ruled it is not in compliance with rules and could threaten the ability to pass the megabill with a simple majority. The orphan drug provision was in the House-passed bill, but was not included in the first Senate Finance Committee’s proposal earlier this month
The rulings, released in a memo from Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee, come as Senate Republicans are still trying to ensure they have the votes for final passage of their signature legislation.
Two provisions added to the bill just days ago — and tailored specifically to boost Medicaid payments to Alaska and Hawaii — have been ruled to violate the Senate’s Byrd rule. That limits what can pass through the reconciliation process with a simple majority.
GOP leaders had hoped the Medicaid provisions focused on non-contiguous states, along with other Alaska-friendly changes, would be enough to win the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). She had voiced concerns over deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Murkowski voted to move forward with the bill Saturday night after making committee chairs and leadership sweat.
Elsewhere, Senate Republicans attempted to expand a Medicare drug-price negotiation exemption for “orphan” drugs to include medicines that treat multiple rare diseases. But the parliamentarian ruled it is not in compliance with rules and could threaten the ability to pass the megabill with a simple majority. The orphan drug provision was in the House-passed bill, but was not included in the first Senate Finance Committee’s proposal earlier this month
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