President Donald Trump called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to fire Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she ruled that the SAVE America Act could not be included in a budget reconciliation package.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump on Monday called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to remove Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, arguing that her ruling on the SAVE America Act is blocking Republicans from advancing the legislation through the Senate.
Trump made the demand in a Truth Social post, saying MacDonough should be replaced immediately.
“Senate Majority Leader John Thune should immediately fire the parliamentarian, who treats Republicans, and everything that they stand for, horribly,” Trump wrote. “We have every right to change her, and should do so, immediately. As long as she’s there, we will never get our desperately needed, Save America Act approved, and put into full force and effect!”
MacDonough has served as Senate parliamentarian since the Obama administration. The parliamentarian advises the Senate on its rules and procedures, including whether legislation qualifies for consideration under budget reconciliation.
The dispute centers on MacDonough’s determination last week that the SAVE America Act does not comply with the Senate’s Byrd Rule. The Byrd Rule governs what provisions may be included in reconciliation bills, which can pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes usually needed to overcome a filibuster.
Because reconciliation is limited to measures with direct budgetary effects, provisions that fall outside those limits can be ruled ineligible. MacDonough’s finding means the SAVE America Act cannot be added to a reconciliation package under the current ruling.
The SAVE America Act is a nationwide voter identification measure. It would require people to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and would require Americans to show identification when casting ballots.
Trump’s comments reflect growing Republican frustration over Senate procedural limits as the party seeks to advance election-related legislation. His call for MacDonough’s removal places new pressure on Thune as Republicans debate how far to go in challenging Senate rules and officials who interpret them.
MacDonough’s ruling does not prevent lawmakers from pursuing the SAVE America Act through other legislative routes, but it blocks the faster reconciliation path that would allow the bill to pass with a simple-majority vote.
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