Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough just threw a wrench into the Big Beautiful Bill’s gears. On Sunday, she ruled eight more provisions need 60 votes to pass, hobbling Republican efforts to streamline conservative reforms. This decision stings for those hoping to see bold policy changes without Senate gridlock.
Breitbart reported that MacDonough’s rulings, starting Saturday and continuing Sunday, limit the GOP’s use of budgetary reconciliation, a process allowing bills to pass with a simple majority.
Saturday’s decisions blocked slashing sanctuary city funds and curbing federal courts’ injunction powers. The GOP’s dream of reshaping policy with 51 votes is fading fast.
Saturday also saw MacDonough rule against zeroing out the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding. This agency, often criticized by conservatives for overreach, dodges a bullet. Republicans aimed to rein in its power, but the Senate’s rules keep it alive.
Sunday’s rulings targeted eight specific provisions, each a conservative priority. One would’ve boosted state and local border security and immigration enforcement funds. MacDonough’s call means tougher immigration policies face a steep 60-vote hurdle.
Another provision would’ve raised retirement contributions for new federal workers refusing “at-will” status. This reform, meant to modernize federal employment, now risks stalling in the Senate’s supermajority swamp. Conservatives see it as a missed chance to prioritize efficiency.
A $350 fee for federal employees filing Merit Systems Protection Board cases also got the axe. This fee aimed to deter frivolous claims while funding oversight. MacDonough’s ruling protects bureaucrats but frustrates those seeking accountability.
MacDonough nixed a plan letting agencies rescind funds through employee incentive programs. This creative approach to cutting waste—rewarding workers for spotting unneeded funds—won’t see daylight without 60 votes. It’s a blow to fiscal hawks craving leaner budgets.
Federal employee unions dodged a hit, too, as MacDonough blocked quarterly fees for using official time and agency resources.
Conservatives argue these fees would ensure fairness, but unions cheer the ruling. The Senate’s rules shield labor from reform yet again.
Agency heads won’t get authority to transfer, consolidate, or eliminate functions, either. This provision promised flexibility to streamline government, but now faces a near-impossible vote threshold. Bureaucratic bloat wins this round, much to taxpayers’ chagrin.
MacDonough also blocked mandating the sale of all U.S. Postal Service electric vehicles. Critics of the green push saw this as a practical move, but environmentalists rejoice. The Senate’s 60-vote rule keeps those electric trucks rolling.
Agencies can still implement rules with budgetary impacts, thanks to another Sunday ruling. Conservatives hoped to curb regulatory overreach, but MacDonough’s decision preserves the status quo. The administrative state breathes a sigh of relief.
Senate Budget Committee’s Jeff Merkley crowed, “There is no better way to define this Big Beautiful Betrayal of a bill than families lose, and billionaires win.” His “betrayal” jab ignores how these rulings protect entrenched interests over working taxpayers. Democrats wield the Byrd Rule like a club to block reform.
Merkley added, “Democrats are on the side of families and workers and are scrutinizing this bill piece by piece.” His sanctimonious tone masks a strategy to preserve big government while cloaking it in populism. The Byrd Rule’s enforcement feels more like obstruction than principle.
The Big Beautiful Bill’s supporters now face a tough road. Reconciliation’s simple-majority path was their ace, but MacDonough’s rulings force a pivot. Republicans must either find 60 votes or trim their ambitions to fit Senate rules.
