Left-leaning Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that key GOP provisions in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” violate the rules.
The Republicans are pushing President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ through budget reconciliation because it will only need a simple majority to pass.
However, the Senate Parliamentarian has to approve of certain provisions in the bill otherwise they cannot pass with a simple majority vote.
Elizabeth MacDonough over the weekend struck down several GOP provisions in the bill by applying the ‘Byrd Rule.’
MacDonough rejected:
- The federal government defunding sanctuary cities
- Defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (DOGE targeted this agency)
- The EPA’s effort to roll back Electric Vehicle mandates
- A proposal to restrict federal courts from issuing nationwide injunctions
The Hill reported:
The Senate parliamentarian has rejected several more provisions in the Republican megabill to enact President Trump’s agenda, including language authorizing states to conduct border security and immigration enforcement, which traditionally have been duties of the federal government.
Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough also ruled against language in the bill that would increase the Federal Employees Retirement Systems contribution rate for new civil servants if they do not agree to give up civil service protections to become at-will employees.
Additionally, the parliamentarian advised against a section of the bill that would allow the executive branch to reorganize federal government agencies — or eliminate whole agencies — without congressional oversight.
The parliamentarian ruled these provisions violate the Byrd Rule and are not eligible to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote on the procedural fast track known as budget reconciliation.
Recall that the Democrats passed numerous bills through the reconciliation budget Committee when Joe Biden was in the White House to go around Republicans.
Elizabeth MacDonough did reject some of the Democrat provisions in Biden’s $3.5 trillion ‘infrastructure bill’ but she did not deal a big blow to the measure.
Senate GOP’s big bill going thru key parliamentarian review on whether it complies with rules allowing bill to be approved on party lines.
Finance Chairman Crapo told me key health care provisions under review today, tax pieces tomorrow.
Also says SALT dispute not yet resolved— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 23, 2025
Read the full article here