Tuberville calls for firing of ‘woke’ Senate official over ban on ‘illegals stealing Medicaid’
One of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies in the Senate called for the firing of the chamber’s “woke” parliamentarian on Thursday after she struck down a key provision of Republicans’ Medicaid agenda in the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
“The WOKE Senate Parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid and advised Al Gore, just STRUCK DOWN a provision BANNING illegals from stealing Medicaid from American citizens. This is a perfect example of why Americans hate THE SWAMP,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., of parliamentarian Elizabeth McDonough.
Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth McDonough is facing calls for her ouster from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.US Senate
“Unelected bureaucrats think they know better than U.S. Congressmen who are elected BY THE PEOPLE. Her job is not to push a woke agenda,” Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, continued. “THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN SHOULD BE FIRED ASAP.”
The parliamentarian advises senators “on all matters requiring interpretation of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the precedents of the Senate, unanimous consent agreements, and provisions of public law,” according to the senate website.
The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a key Medicaid provider tax overhaul that is central to Trump’s big tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow to Republicans rushing to finish the massive package this week, the Associated Press reported.
Republican leaders are relying on the Medicaid provider tax change to save billions of dollars in the GOP package, to offset the cost of trillions of dollars in tax cuts, which are their top priority.
The House-passed bill would freeze the provider taxes at current levels, while the Senate proposal goes deeper by reducing the tax that some states are able to impose.
The guidance Thursday from the parliamentarian is rarely ignored, and it forces GOP leaders to consider options.
Senate leaders could try to revise it or strip it from the package. Otherwise, the provision could be challenged during floor votes, requiring a 60-vote threshold to keep it, a tall order in the narrowly split 100-member Senate. Democrats are unified against the Republican president’s bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.