The Scoop
Senators are furiously lobbying Republican leadership and Finance Chair Mike Crapo to make changes to the chamber’s megabill, hoping to clinch deals on everything from Medicaid to energy tax credits in time to start debate by early next week.
“Our plan is to try releasing something at the beginning of next week, and start the process of getting the vote-a-rama and everything set up by the end of next week,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Semafor.
That’s a herculean effort, given all that’s going on.
And President Donald Trump is staying involved, speaking to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on Tuesday afternoon about the tax bill’s potentially harmful impact on rural hospitals. “He said: ‘That doesn’t sound good,’” Hawley said, relaying the conversation with the president.
Trump reiterated he doesn’t want any Medicaid cuts beyond what the House did last month, Hawley said.
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Vice President JD Vance’s Capitol visit on Tuesday helped rally Republican senators to stick to the self-imposed July 4 timeline for Senate passage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly told members the Senate will stay in session until it gets done — which is what leaders often do to spur a result.
The moment he signals a delay in plans, Republicans will lose all of their momentum. Mullin said by Sunday, June 29, anyone seeking to delay the bill will start to lose steam. Their hope is to have a finished deal with all of the sections of the bill by Monday or Tuesday.
“We just need to keep marching up,” said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. “When we go to the floor, the guy that has to close the deal for the ones that aren’t on board at that point is the president.”
Hawley’s conversation with Trump shows how that’s already playing out. After Trump said he was not interested in more severe Medicaid spending cuts, Hawley told him: “I’m not sure the Senate leadership is paying the closest attention to what you’re saying.”
The Missouri senator, who already secured a big priority of his in a radiation compensation bill, said a number of Republicans need relief for rural hospitals in order for the bill to move forward. There’s significant concern from senators like Jim Justice of West Virginia that the bill’s current language could hurt hospitals in their states.
“We could do a carveout for rural hospitals, we could do a fund for rural hospitals. They have to want to do it. But I don’t think they have 51 at the moment,” Hawley said. “Leadership has told me they are going to do something for rural hospitals.”
And senators are still wrangling over cuts to the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy subsidies. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said that “80% of the bill is pretty much done.” The last 20% is always the hardest.
Eleanor Mueller contributed to this report.