Senate Amendments to Trump’s Megabill See Mixed Results
Senate Struggles With Amendments to Trump’s Bill
Four Senate amendments aimed at changing President Donald Trump’s much-discussed “big, beautiful bill” floundered during the latest session, leaving the measure’s fate in precarious territory. Key proposals put forth by Senators Susan Collins of Maine and John Cornyn of Texas met a dead end, raising questions on the future of healthcare funding and overall support for the bill. Collins sought to secure a significant funding increase for rural hospitals, while Cornyn pushed additional Medicaid cuts, yet both efforts failed to make it through the vote-a-rama on Monday.
Rural Hospital Funding Proposal Falls Short
Collins’ proposal was ambitious, aiming to elevate the funding for rural hospitals from a modest $25 billion to a hefty $50 billion over the next decade. She pointed out that many rural facilities are teetering on the brink of closure, highlighting the financial strain that these providers are currently enduring. “This amendment,” Collins argued, “would help keep them open and caring for those in rural communities.” Despite aiming to offer a compromise, her efforts were met with staunch opposition from some of her peers who criticized the underlying Medicaid cuts within the bill.
Push for Medicaid Cuts Faces Resistance
On a related note, Senator John Cornyn’s amendment to slash an additional $313 billion in Medicaid funding received a cold reception as well. Joined by Senators Scott and Barrasso, Cornyn’s goal was to limit Medicaid growth, but doubts soon emerged regarding the amendment’s support. Notably, the base bill already imposes nearly $930 billion in Medicaid cuts, causing many senators to hesitate further, like Senator Jim Justice, who voiced discomfort with the current level of cuts. It seems that the mood in the Senate indicates a reluctance to curtail healthcare funding any further, despite the proposed ambitions of others.
Mixed Results for Senate Amendments on Healthcare and AI
In terms of other proposals, Senator Kennedy’s push to allow teachers to deduct $600 of out-of-pocket school supplies was voted down in a narrow margin of 46-54. Meanwhile, Senator Bennet’s attempt to enhance the child tax credit suffered a similar fate, underlining the uphill battle faced by various proposals among lawmakers. Yet not all the news was grim for those seeking adjustments; an amendment which successfully removed a controversial 10-year moratorium on state AI regulations passed with a staggering vote of 99-1, sponsored by a bipartisan coalition and signalling some common ground in the Senate.
