Congress is facing a tight deadline to pass President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill, with the White House setting a deadline one week from Friday. Frustration is growing among lawmakers, who are still awaiting the bill's text and details about what provisions have been omitted or included.

The process is causing headaches, particularly for Republican leadership, as a key policy referee, the Senate parliamentarian, continues to decide what can be part of the bill.

Republicans are attempting to pass the bill using a method that circumvents the filibuster and potential objections from Democrats, allowing passage with Republican votes alone. This procedure, however, requires more scrutiny and constraints compared to a typical bill, necessitating the involvement of the parliamentarian.

Several key provisions proposed by Republicans have been removed by the parliamentarian. Among the excised measures are removing Medicaid coverage for certain immigrants and a proposal to sell public lands. Additionally, funding cuts for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have also been excluded.

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These provisions were integral to Republicans' strategies for offsetting costs and preventing the bill from significantly increasing the deficit, especially given President Trump's aim to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime payexpensive items that require financial offsets. The removal of these cost-saving measures presents challenges for Republican leadership, with some members suggesting that they should disregard President Trump's July 4 deadline.

There is a sentiment among some Republicans to take more time to thoroughly discuss the bill's details and ensure understanding of each provision's impact. While President Trump has set a self-imposed patriotic deadline in time for Independence Day, considerations are turning toward the August recess. Concerns loom over the possibility of the U.S. hitting the debt ceiling during August, which could risk a default.

A debt ceiling hike is part of the proposal, underscoring the urgency of passing the package before a potential default scenario. Despite President Trump's firm stance on the July 4 deadline, uncertainty remains about whether lawmakers can meet it, especially since they will be in session all weekend without a finalized bill.

Votes on the legislation could occur as soon as tonight.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Senate Democrats and Republicans emerged from an intelligence briefing Thursday with differing views on the success of U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

President Donald Trump has insisted the strikes obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities, despite a leaked preliminary intelligence report suggesting the program may have only been delayed by a few months.

I do not think the president was telling the truth when he said this program was obliterated, said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Certainly, there was damage done, but there is still significant remaining capability.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., offered a contrasting assessment, calling the strikes a major league setback for Iran and claiming the countrys nuclear ambitions were delayed by years.

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The Trump administration has worked aggressively to counter reports that downplay the strikes impact. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined the scope of the operation during a news conference Thursday morning. Later, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also pushed back on the leaked intelligence assessment.

I will add it was one of the most secretive and successful operations in United States history, Leavitt said.

Trump also accused Democrats, without evidence, of leaking the report.

They should be prosecuted, he said.

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The Senate parliamentarian has rejected several Republican-backed provisions in President Donald Trumps sweeping tax and spending bill, dealing a blow to GOP efforts to offset costly tax cuts with government spending reductions.

Elizabeth MacDonough, the chambers nonpartisan referee on procedural matters, advised that a central proposal to overhaul the Medicaid provider tax violates Senate rules. Republicans had hoped the change would help pay for President Trumps so-called One Big Beautiful Bill.

Other provisions were also struck, including an amendment from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, that would have allowed the sale of public lands to raise revenue and open the land to development. MacDonough determined the measure did not meet the chambers complex budget reconciliation rules.

The rulings have prompted backlash from some Republicans, who argue the parliamentarian is undermining President Trumps agenda.

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Did Harry Reids Senate Parliamentarian not get the memo? Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., posted on X. President Trumps landslide victory was a MANDATE from 77 million Americans. The Parliamentarian is trying to UNDERMINE the Presidents mandate and should be fired.

MacDonough, appointed during former Sen. Harry Reids tenure, has served under both Democratic and Republican leadership. She has previously ruled against major proposals from both parties.

While some Republicans have floated the idea of overruling MacDonough, others defended her role.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said on Thursday that he would not bring up a vote to override the parliamentarians rulings.

The fate of the bill remains uncertain. President Trump has called on Congress to send it to his desk by July 4.

House Republicans are likely celebrating following the passage of what President Donald Trump refers to as the "Big Beautiful Bill." The legislation cleared the House on Thursday, but now it faces critical examination in the Senate, where lawmakers are poised to influence its future.

The House has moved forward, and now its the Senates turn to weigh in. Republican senators find themselves in a different position from their House counterparts. With six-year terms, they approach the legislation with a bit more insulation from immediate political pressure, including demands from the White House to expedite passage by a July 4 deadline.

Republican senators have expressed a desire for modifications to the bill. Even some of President Trump's most ardent supporters in Congress signaled they were not particularly anxious about the looming deadline or keeping the House version intact.

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In an interview, Sen. Ron Johnson remarked, "Its current state is completely unacceptable to me," implying the bill's existing form would not garner their support. He continued, "I would vote 'no.' I think I have three other colleagues who would also vote 'no.'

This is significant because Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate. If four Republican Senators were to oppose the bill, it would fail. This scenario raises questions about how the Senate plans to navigate changes while still securing passage in the House, where similar revisions could stall progress.

On the financial implications for Americans, it varies depending on socioeconomic status. For individuals in lower-income brackets, the proposed changes could impact Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), commonly known as food stamps. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that over the next decade, more than 8 million people could lose health care access due to mandated work requirements for these programs. Additionally, its projected that 3.2 million individuals may lose their SNAP benefits each month under the new work requirements, which face broad Republican support.

Democrats have expressed strong opposition to the bill, concerned about its ramifications on vulnerable populations. If the Senate modifies the legislation, the House may wish to revisit its stance, particularly with some members of the Freedom Caucus signaling dissatisfaction with the current version.

"We held out for cuts as long as we could to get the cuts. Well live to fight another day," Rep. Ralph Norman, R-North Carolina said.

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As the House and Senate prepare for a one-week recess in observance of Memorial Day, they will reconvene to accelerate efforts to finalize the bill. Many questions about its ultimate form remain unanswered, with even some of Trumps staunchest allies calling for revisions.

Once Congress returns, the legislative clock will be ticking as lawmakers aim to push the bill across the finish line while navigating complex political dynamics.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.