President Donald Trump’s ambitious tax and spending package — once dubbed his “one big, beautiful bill” — is being significantly scaled back in the Senate, following a series of rulings by Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. Her decisions have stripped several Republican-backed provisions that violate Senate budget rules, narrowing the scope of the legislation as GOP leaders race to meet Trump’s self-imposed July 4 deadline for passage.
The sweeping bill was intended to deliver a major legislative win early in Trump’s second term. However, recent cuts to environmental rollbacks, immigration enforcement expansions, and judicial power limits have complicated Republican efforts to finalize the package.
What’s Been Removed So Far?
1. Environmental Rollbacks:
A range of GOP efforts to ease federal environmental regulations were struck down, including:
- Deeming offshore oil and gas projects automatically compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act.
- Repealing recent EPA emissions standards for vehicles.
- Forcing the U.S. Postal Service to halt its electric vehicle transition and abandon related charging infrastructure.
MacDonough ruled that these provisions were not directly budget-related — a requirement for bills passed through budget reconciliation, the special process Senate Republicans are using to bypass the usual 60-vote threshold and avoid a filibuster.
2. Immigration Enforcement Measures:
Provisions targeting “sanctuary” cities and increasing state and local immigration enforcement powers were also deemed inadmissible. So too were Republican efforts to cut SNAP (food stamp) benefits for non-citizens, though a revised version that shifts some SNAP costs to states has since been approved.
3. Attacks on the Judiciary and Consumer Protections:
MacDonough also rejected a provision that would have restricted federal judges’ ability to block government policies and another that would have defunded the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — an agency created during the Obama administration to protect consumers from abusive financial practices.
4. Gun Silencer Rule Rollback:
Democrats are urging the parliamentarian to remove a GOP-backed provision that would eliminate federal registration requirements and a $200 fee for gun silencers. House Democrats argue the change would severely compromise public safety and hinder law enforcement.
What’s Still In?
After tweaking language, Senate Republicans won approval to proceed with reforms to the SNAP program that shift some food assistance costs onto states — a move expected to save billions and help offset revenue losses from proposed tax cuts.
The approval is seen as a win for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who is leading efforts to unite the GOP behind the bill. Thune said he remains optimistic about the bill’s passage, writing in a June 23 opinion piece, “I am confident we will get this bill across the finish line.”
The Clock is Ticking
With less than two weeks until Independence Day — the deadline Trump set for the legislation to reach his desk — GOP leaders are under intense pressure. Trump reinforced the urgency in a June 24 post on Truth Social:
“To my friends in the Senate, lock yourself in a room if you must, don’t go home, and GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK. Work with the House so they can pick it up, and pass it, IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.”
Still, meeting that timeline will be difficult given the bill’s revised form and intra-party divisions.
Why These Cuts Are Happening: The “Byrd Bath”
The process of reviewing reconciliation legislation for non-budgetary content is known as a “Byrd Bath,” named after the late Senator Robert Byrd. Under Senate rules, any provision not primarily related to federal spending or revenue cannot be included in reconciliation bills.
MacDonough — the Senate’s first female parliamentarian and a nonpartisan arbiter — has wielded considerable influence over the bill’s fate. Her rulings reflect the limits of reconciliation and the challenges Republicans face in pursuing broad policy changes without bipartisan support.
What’s Next?
Trump and Senate Republicans may need to revisit key legislative goals through alternative bills or future negotiations. For now, Thune and GOP leadership must rally enough support to pass the trimmed-down version of the bill with a simple majority of 51 votes — a task that still demands near-total party unity.
The outcome will determine whether Trump secures a signature legislative victory before the July 4 deadline or is forced back to the negotiating table.