Punchbowl News: “Senate Republican leaders projected confidence during a closed-door meeting Thursday that they can fix their Medicaid provider tax language after the Senate parliamentarian said it didn’t comply with reconciliation rules, according to multiple attendees.”

“The bigger problem, GOP leaders told senators, is that they don’t yet have 50 votes to begin the floor process on their massive tax and spending cut bill.”

“It was an acknowledgment from Senate Republican leadership that fixing the procedural problem won’t fix the political problem with the provider tax crackdown, which several GOP senators believe would cause rural hospitals to shut down. It’s also worth noting that despite the Senate Republican leadership’s confidence in resolving the procedural issue, it could still take a lot of time.”

“The Senate’s top rules arbiter has some Republicans fuming, casting a harsh spotlight on the obscure but powerful official,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“On Thursday, some Republicans called for the firing of Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she effectively blocked a number of GOP proposals central to their fast-track budget legislation, hampering party leaders’ ability to quickly pass President Trump’s sprawling domestic-policy bill.”

Punchbowl News: “Senate Republicans’ reconciliation plans took a huge hit this morning when the parliamentarian knocked out a crucial Medicaid cut.”

“The ruling by Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough threw the GOP timetable into flux and created yet another problem for Republican leaders as they rush to get the reconciliation bill done by next Friday.”

“Senate GOP leaders are insistent that the bill containing President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda can still hit the floor in short order. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the timeline will slip “a little bit,” and many GOP senators and aides believe the timing will shift to later in the weekend.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Thursday said he will not overrule the parliamentarian after she rejected key Medicaid provisions in the GOP’s tax and spending megabill, dealing a blow to Republicans’ plan to pay for tax cuts in the package, The Hill reports.

Said Thune: “No. That would not be a good outcome for getting a bill done.”

Wall Street Journal: “The ruling affects several of the largest and most controversial cuts in President Trump’s ‘one, big, beautiful bill,’ and Republicans will likely be forced to drop or rewrite them. The changes could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars, making it harder for Republicans to hit their budget targets. A person familiar with Senate Republicans’ plans said they would aim to revise the proposal, working to find a solution that meets their goals.”

“The Senate parliamentarian ruled on Wednesday to reject Republican language in the Senate megabill that would prohibit federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act from going to qualified health plans that cover abortion services,” The Hill reports.

Senate Republicans are working to hammer out a version of the tax bill that can pass the House without returning to the negotiating table, NBC News reports.

“That means hashing out SALT, Medicaid and clean energy. Easier said than done.”

“Senate Republicans are considering delaying a politically explosive Medicaid cut as they look for ways to win over GOP moderate holdouts threatening the massive reconciliation bill,” Punchbowl News reports.

“The discussions come as Senate Republican leaders are trying to ratchet up the pressure on wavering GOP senators to fall in line and meet their self-imposed July 4 deadline for sending a bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.”

“Several Republican senators are quietly pitching their leadership on delaying the implementation timeline of the Senate’s stricter crackdown on Medicaid provider taxes. Paired with a stabilization fund for rural hospitals, this could help win over enough of the half-dozen or so wavering senators.”

“To be sure, Senate GOP leaders have a ton working against them right now beyond Medicaid problems. For one, the ‘Byrd Bath’ for key portions of the reconciliation bill isn’t finished yet. And Republican senators demanding additional changes have said they won’t vote to begin the floor process until they see final legislative text.”

“Sen. Thom Tillis warned his colleagues during a closed-door meeting Wednesday that he would not vote to take up the party’s sweeping domestic policy bill without further clarity on Medicaid changes,” Politico reports.

“Multiple other Republican senators warned Majority Leader John Thune during the lunch that they were not ready to vote to launch floor debate on the megabill… But it’s Tillis, who is up for reelection next year, who has emerged as a key vote to watch as Thune moves to try and meet a July 4 target for final passage of the bill.”

“Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said Wednesday he’s not ready to support Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill. But the Wisconsin Republican said that the White House, including the president himself, is helping to move him closer to yes,” Politico reports.

“Johnson shared details of Monday’s one-on-one meeting with Trump in an exclusive interview where he credited the administration for working with him on a push to set up a budget review panel that would force Congress to return to the issue of deficit reduction even after the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is passed.”

Said Johnson: “I’ve got everybody’s attention… they realize I’m serious, so they need to get serious.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) warned GOP senators during a closed-door meeting Tuesday that the Senate reconciliation bill could prompt major electoral losses similar to how Obamacare hampered Democrats, Punchbowl News reports.

Separately, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) disagreed noting: “I know a lot of us are hearing from people back home about Medicaid. But they’ll get over it.”

Wall Street Journal: “Senate GOP leaders are revising their version in advance of potential votes later this week, searching for a mix that can garner a majority in the chamber, which is divided 53-47. Anything that gets through the Senate must pass the House, which is divided 220-212 in Republicans’ favor; any subsequent House changes would require another Senate vote.”

“Lawmakers are scheduled to leave Washington for a recess next week but could stay to finish the bill.”

“Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has ruled against provisions in the GOP megabill to enact President Trump’s agenda that would dramatically accelerate the approval of offshore oil and gas projects, handing Senate Republican Leader John Thune (R-SD) a setback and Democrats another procedural victory,” The Hill reports.

“The parliamentarian ruled against a provision in the legislation that would deem offshore oil and gas projects as automatically compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act, essentially nullifying the environmental review process for these projects.”

“It’s just a more lonely position. And nobody likes being in a lonely position.”

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), quoted by the Washington Post, on standing up to President Trump in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Punchbowl News: “This is what it looks like when the Senate is about to jam the House — and many GOP senators are cheering it on.”

“During Monday night’s Senate GOP Conference meeting, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) stood up for his fellow Louisiana Republican, Speaker Mike Johnson, and insisted that the House won’t be able to pass what Senate Republicans have been cobbling together, citing the Senate’s stricter crackdown on Medicaid provider taxes.”

“Thune responded by saying the House will ultimately accept what the Senate passes, according to three senators in the room.”

“Several GOP senators told us they came away from the meeting — and this interaction in particular — with the impression that Thune is angling to use his substantial leverage to dare the House to reject any Senate-passed bill, especially with President Donald Trump eager to sign the measure by July 4.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), still opposed to Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” is heading to the White House Monday to discuss the legislation with the president, Politico reports.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) thinks the Senate is rushing on President Trump’s budget bill, and is asking why her colleagues are “afraid” of conference negotiations, Axios reports.

Said Murkowski: “Why are we afraid of a conference? Oh my gosh.”

Republican leadership has been wary of the the lengthy formal process of reconciling differences between House and Senate bills.

“Senate Republicans are unlikely to release full revised text of their sweeping domestic-policy bill Monday as they had hoped, reflecting a behind-the-scenes scramble to finalize the legislation for passage this coming week,” Politico reports.

“The timeline slip comes after GOP leaders saw setbacks over the weekend when Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that key pieces of their bill didn’t comply with the strict rules governing what can be included in a bill they are hoping to pass along strict party lines, skirting a 60-vote filibuster threshold.”

Politico: All eyes on the parliamentarian.