Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said “No” Thursday when asked if he would overrule Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who rejected key Medicaid provisions in the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
When reporters asked him about the matter, Thune said, “No. That would not be a good outcome for getting a bill done,” according to the Hill.
The outlet said MacDonough “rejected a plan that would cap states’ ability to collect more federal Medicaid funding via healthcare care provider taxes. The move would have collected hundreds of billions in savings, which Republicans were relying on.”
Several Republicans wanted the Senate to “sideline” MacDonough, prompting Thune’s response, according to Politico.
When speaking of trying to keep the provisions in the bill, Thune added that “There are things that we can do. There are other ways of getting to that same outcome.”
It is important to note Breitbart News reported on Thursday that, “The parliamentarian also struck down provisions that would bar the use of Medicaid funds for transgender healthcare services and to prevent illegal aliens from receiving Medicaid or CHIP healthcare coverage.”
“However, it remains possible that Senate Republicans could change the language of the Medicaid provider tax to be eligible in the Big Beautiful Bill,” the article stated.