1 day Ago
Though GOP leaders expressed confidence the bill would hit the floor in the Senate this week, Senators said most important issues were still unsettled. The legislation is going through the so-called Byrd bath to ensure that it complies with Senate budget rules that would enable it to pass with a simple majority vote.
Rural Hospitals and SALT Policy Collide
Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri highlighted the need to curb the effect of Medicaid changes on rural hospitals. He is calling for a provider fund of at least $100 billion to help hospitals and others, but added that no final details have been provided. "They need to deal with rural hospitals' issues," he said, expressing guarded optimism on the bill's fate in both chambers if that issue is dealt with.
In the meantime, Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma is working to narrow the gap between GOP senators and House Republicans on the SALT provision. Some House Republicans, particularly from New York and California, hope to maintain the $40,000 cap also in the House bill. Mullin has suggested keeping the cap in place but lowering the income threshold — though he conceded it's not an ideal compromise. "Both sides are not going to like" the fix, he said, but insisted it wouldn't lose votes in the Senate.
SNAP Changes and Byrd Rule Waivers
Sen. John Boozman, the Arkansas Republican who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, noted a number of SNAP-related provisions were knocked out in the Byrd bath. He and other senators have since been working to revise that language so that it complies with Senate rules. The goal is to provide states with additional time to carry out the changes.
Sen. John Thune, Senate majority whip, is working with the parliamentarian on reinstating some of the axe-wielded provisions. He admitted that the case is pending review and they don't have complete control over it. Despite the hiccups, Thune said, "We're on schedule.
Yet the question lingers. "So, you know, the bill is being held together right now with happy thoughts and spit," said Senator John Kennedy, summing up the state of the legislation. And though leaders are looking to pass the bill before the recess begins, there are key negotiations and rule issues that still need to be addressed in the days ahead.
