The Senate parliamentarian who acts as a legislative umpire has ruled against a key funding provision in the president’s One Big Beautiful tax and spending bill.
Elizabeth MacDonough says the SNAP provision to force the states to pick up a sliding amount of food stamp benefits based on payment error rates violates a key Senate rule.
The Byrd rule, named after the late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, prohibited legislating on budget reconciliation bills. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley.
“I think there are still going to be attempts to look at alternative ways to craft some form of alternative cost-share that complies with the Byrd rule. So, this might not be over yet. Hopefully it’s not.”
But if the ruling stands, it would be a big win for Democrats, who’ve targeted SNAP savings in their long-running farm bill feud with Republicans, and would punch a huge funding hole in the GOP tax bill. Grassley has some longstanding, though so far, unsuccessful ideas on new savings.
“Get rid of the proposal to increase payment limits from 125 thousand to 155 thousand. We can also increase savings by closing the ‘actively engaged’ loophole that allows Wall Street bankers to cash government checks meant for farmers with dirt under their fingernails.”
But without a quick solution or a Senate override of the parliamentarian, action could be slowed.
“The Leader says we’re going to stay in session until we get it done, even if that takes us into Sunday.”
President Trump has set a goal of having the bill on his desk by July 4th though both chambers were set to be out for the holiday by the end of this week.
-Matt Kaye/Berns Bureau