Vice President JD Vance expressed confidence Congress could deliver President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” by July 4 as he left a closed-door lunch with GOP senators Tuesday at the Capitol.
“I mean, look, I can’t make any promises … I can’t predict the future, but I do think that we’re in a good place to get this done by the July 4 recess,” Vance told reporters.
Vance said he was “gratified and optimistic” by what he heard from GOP senators who are racing to resolve major policy disputes over Medicaid and tax incentives after Senate Finance proposed changes Monday that caught some Republicans off guard.
The vice president said he met Monday with Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who’s raised concerns with potential cuts to Medicaid, including the Senate’s proposal to pare down the provider tax several states use to fund their Medicaid programs.
“She’s got some concerns. And other folks have concerns. You just have to work through them,” Vance said. “You have to identify ‘what are the ways that we can address those concerns?’ If we can’t address that concern in your preferred way, is there another way that we can fix it that’s just part of the legislative process?”
Vance underscored there was broad alignment among the GOP over blocking undocumented people from using Medicaid, along with those who choose not to work. Negotiations will focus on satisfying senators with concerns around further changes, he added.
“They’re all very confident we’re eventually going to get there,” Vance said.
As Vance left the meeting, he also huddled with Mehmet Oz, the CMS administrator who attended the lunch with GOP senators.
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