Fact Check: "MacDonough's ruling eliminated major provisions like Medicaid cuts and land sell-offs."
What We Know
Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, recently ruled against several significant provisions in a Republican domestic policy bill. This included measures aimed at reducing Medicaid funding and selling federal land, which were integral to the bill's proposed budget cuts. Specifically, MacDonough's decisions struck down provisions that would have limited states' ability to utilize certain healthcare provider taxes to obtain federal Medicaid funds, which could potentially lead to over $900 billion in Medicaid cuts over a decade (New York Times, Politico). Furthermore, her rulings also included the rejection of a plan to sell federal land, which was part of the broader budgetary measures (ABC News).
Analysis
The claim that MacDonough's ruling eliminated major provisions like Medicaid cuts and land sell-offs is supported by multiple credible sources. The New York Times reported that MacDonough's rulings were a significant setback for Senate Republicans, as they were attempting to pass a bill that included substantial cuts to Medicaid and other budgetary measures (New York Times). Politico also confirmed that key Medicaid provisions were struck down, which were essential for offsetting costs in the Republican tax plan (Politico).
The reliability of these sources is high; both the New York Times and Politico are well-established news organizations known for their thorough reporting and fact-checking processes. ABC News also corroborates these findings, indicating that the Senate GOP was frustrated by the parliamentarian's decisions, which included the rejection of crucial Medicaid provisions (ABC News).
While some Republican senators expressed hope that they could modify the provisions to meet MacDonough's requirements, the immediate impact of her rulings was a significant reduction in the scope of the proposed legislation (Senate GOP). This indicates that the provisions were not merely delayed but effectively eliminated in their current form.
Conclusion
The claim that "MacDonough's ruling eliminated major provisions like Medicaid cuts and land sell-offs" is True. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms that her rulings directly impacted significant budgetary measures proposed by Senate Republicans, including substantial Medicaid cuts and the sale of federal land.
