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In a major procedural victory, Senate Democrats succeeded in removing more than a dozen controversial Republican policy proposals from a sweeping tax and spending cut bill after Senate Parliamentarian rulings deemed them noncompliant with reconciliation rules.
The decision derailed GOP efforts to restructure federal programs such as food assistance and financial consumer protection without bipartisan support, exposing deep partisan divides over how to reshape domestic policy under the guise of fiscal reform.
Among the provisions struck:
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A cost-shifting plan for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that could have cost states billions;
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A proposal to eliminate funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB);
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An attempt to bar federal district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions, a longtime conservative goal.
“These victories matter,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee. “Republicans are trying to rob working families to pay for billionaires’ tax breaks, and we’re using every tool to stop them.”
Parliamentarian’s Power on Display
The rulings came as part of what’s informally called the “Byrd bath”—a process where the Senate Parliamentarian reviews whether provisions in a reconciliation bill comply with the Byrd Rule, which prohibits provisions with merely “incidental” impacts on the federal budget.
The GOP is pursuing reconciliation to avoid the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster, but that tactic limits what policy changes can legally remain in the bill.
SNAP and State Burden Shift Blocked
A key Republican provision that would have shifted SNAP costs to state governments unless they met federal efficiency benchmarks by 2028 was rejected. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) called it “a direct attack on families, farmers, and grocers” and said the ruling was a “clear rebuke” of the GOP’s strategy.
Also struck was a clause to strip food aid from non-citizen immigrants—a move Democrats warned would have resulted in widespread hunger and economic disruption.
Consumer Protection Provisions Spared
Another major Democratic win was the removal of a proposal to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called “a dangerous attack on American consumers.”
Still, some of Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) proposals survived, including provisions to delay implementation of Dodd-Frank regulations, cut green funding, and eliminate certain SEC reserves.
Judiciary Committee’s Proposals Tossed
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s attempt to block judges from issuing nationwide injunctions also failed under the Byrd Rule. Democrats like Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) labeled it “an attempted power grab,” while Republicans accused Democrats of undermining judicial reform and immigration enforcement.
A proposal to tie DOJ grant eligibility to local immigration enforcement compliance was also tossed.
Radiation Compensation Survives Scrutiny
Not every Republican provision was eliminated. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) celebrated the parliamentarian’s approval of his proposal to reauthorize the Radiation Exposure Compensation Fund (RECA), calling it a win for “radiation survivors” and Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.
Artificial Intelligence Limits Remain—for Now
A contentious measure to block state and local AI regulation for a decade survived the Byrd bath, as long as it remained tied to a $500 million federal fund. The provision sparked surprise and pushback, even from Republicans like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who warned it was “potentially dangerous.”
She signaled she would vote against the final package if the AI section remained: “We have no idea what AI will be capable of in 10 years.”
What’s Next for the GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill”
The changes have created headaches for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), both of whom are under pressure to secure near-unanimous Republican support to pass the bill. With substantial Senate changes, the measure must return to the House for final passage before heading to President Donald Trump for a hoped-for July 4 signing.
Republicans may attempt to revise or reframe stripped provisions to pass future Byrd Rule muster, but Democrats are vowing more challenges ahead.
“We are not done,” Merkley said. “If Republicans keep trying to sneak in extremist policies under the guise of a budget bill, we’ll fight them every step of the way.”
