Senate parliamentarian ruling on Trump’s bill sparks conservative backlash
Conservative lawmakers are up in arms after the Senate’s Parliamentarian ruled that key parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda bill must be stripped out. This decision has sparked outrage among Republicans, who feel that an unelected official should not have the power to veto legislation supported by millions of voters.
Rep. Greg Steube of Florida criticized the Senate Parliamentarian, calling for Vice President JD Vance to overrule her and let the will of the people determine the future of the country. He argued that it is time for elected leaders to take back control from unelected staffers hiding behind Senate procedure.
The role of the Senate Parliamentarian is to make apolitical judgments about Senate rules and procedure, particularly in the budget reconciliation process. However, with several rulings against key provisions of Trump’s agenda, Republicans in the House of Representatives are urging the Senate to break norms and disregard the Parliamentarian’s decisions.
Some House Republicans, including Rep. Ralph Norman and Rep. Jeff Van Drew, have called for the Senate to respect the voters and not change the bill based on the Parliamentarian’s rulings. They believe that Congress, not an unelected staffer, should decide what is in the budget.
Despite calls for her removal, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has stood firm in his decision not to overrule the Parliamentarian. Senate Democrats have vowed to inflict as much pain as possible through the Byrd Bath process, testing each provision for compliance with the Byrd Rule governing budget reconciliation.
The latest rulings that gutted changes to the Medicaid program have triggered further outrage among conservatives. Provisions such as a crackdown on the Medicaid provider rate and restrictions on Medicaid and CHIP funding for illegal immigrants were removed, setting back the plan to pass the bill by July 4.
In conclusion, the Senate Parliamentarian’s decisions have sparked controversy among Republicans, who feel that an unelected official should not have the power to veto legislation supported by millions of voters. The battle over Trump’s agenda bill continues as lawmakers debate the role of the Parliamentarian in shaping the future of the country.
