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NEW: Top GOP Senator Refuses To Fire ‘Senate Referee,’ Dooming Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is refusing to fire or overrule the Senate’s current parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid, despite the fact that she continues to strike items from the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Conservatives reacted with fury on Thursday after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled several key reforms and tweaks to Medicaid in the Senate GOP’s version were not in accordance with Senate rules. As a result, provisions that do not adhere to the chamber’s Byrd Rule will be stripped, though Republicans will still have the option to rewrite and resubmit the policy to the parliamentarian.

A number of conservatives, including Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), are asking why Majority Leader Thune has not taken action against MacDonough. “In 2001, Majority Leader Trent Lott fired the Senate parliamentarian during reconciliation,” Marshall told Fox News. “It’s 2025 during reconciliation, and we need to again fire the Senate parliamentarian.”

The senator argued that, among other things, the parliamentarian’s actions could erase more than $500 billion in spending cuts, which could prompt some of the chamber’s more budget conscious members to vote against it. Without the cuts, the bill will also fall well short of it’s target goal of at least $2 trillion in reduced spending over the next decade.

Among the provisions axed included denying states Medicaid funding for having illegal immigrants on the benefit rolls, preventing illegal immigrants from participating in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and preventing Medicaid and CHIP funding from going toward “gender-affirming care.”

Republicans viewed these measures as key cost-saving tools that were popular cuts among the conference. Without them, it will severely hamper the Senate’s goal of getting the bill on President Trump’s desk by the July 4 deadline set by the White House.

Despite objections, Thune has made clear that he does not intend to overrule the parliamentarian. “No. That would not be a good outcome for getting a bill done,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday.

The Senate GOP leader added that he knew it was going to be an interesting conversation” with the Senate’s referee about the provision before downplaying the overall impact. “These are … short-term setbacks,” he said. “Speed bumps, if you will. We’re focused on the goal.”

The parliamentarian is chosen by the Senate majority leader and serves without term limits in the role.

Marshall wants to put an end to this practice and will be introducing legislation that allows parliamentarians to serve for one, six-year term. “The current parliamentarian has been in office since 2012, appointed by Harry Reid,” the senator said. “This is NOT an elected position. Power tends to corrupt,  and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Term limits on a person with this absolute power need be implemented.”