SC senators support reconciliation bill amid marathon voting session, 'long overdue'
Both U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott from South Carolina have voiced unwavering support for the president's spending bill as the Senate undergoes marathon negotiations on their chamber's amendments.
U.S. Senators gathered on Capitol Hill around 9 a.m. June 30, where they have spent hours voting on proposed changes to the House's reconciliation bill, which passed on May 22.
As written, it creates a plan to restructure federal spending, prioritizing border security and tax cuts over environmental initiatives and social programs, such as Medicaid.
If the Senate votes in favor of the revised bill, it will be sent back to the House for final approval before being presented to the president. President Donald Trump has set July 4 as the deadline for when he wants the bill back on his desk.
Lindsey Graham supports bill
Sen. Lindsey Graham said on the Senate floor that this bill would control spending, keep taxes low, invest in the military, and bring greater efficiency in government operations.
"We're starting a process that is long overdue," Graham said. "Vote yes."
CBO says bill would add $3.3 trillion to deficit
The latest report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) also estimates that the Senate's version of the bill would add approximately $3.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. That figure is about $800 billion higher than the House's version of the bill.
Several Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups across the country raised concerns since the bill was proposed about how it would affect services like Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The CBO estimates that the Senate's version of the bill would reduce Medicaid spending by roughly $1.1 trillion and could result in nearly 12 million people losing health insurance by 2034. About a million more people would lose coverage under the Senate version compared to the House version.
"It's the biggest Medicaid cut in history and represents the largest transfer of wealth in history," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said during the Senate hearing. "It's caviar over kids, hedge funds over healthcare."
White House says Medicaid will not face any cuts
The White House released a memo on June 29 that said Medicaid will not face any cuts at the federal level.
"The One Big Beautiful Bill protects and strengthens Medicaid for those who rely on it —pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families — while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse," the memo stated.
Protesters gather outside Graham's office
The potential Medicaid cuts have become the focus of local and national protests since the bill was introduced in the House.
Demonstrators gathered outside Graham's Greenville office in late May, calling on him to vote "no" on the spending plan as it was being considered in the Senate.
The Greenville County Democratic Party and the Democratic Women of Greenville County organized a call-in drive on June 30 to urge Senators Graham and Tim Scott to vote against the "billionaire bailout bill."
"It's clear they are not willing to put the good of the country first," the GCDP said on social media. "Let's send a message that we won't stand for billionaire bailouts."
Greenville GOP supports bill
The Greenville County Republican Party, on the other hand, expressed support for the bill once it passed the House on May 22.
"The Greenville County Republican Party is in full support of the Trump agenda," Jeff Davis, the Greenville County Republican Party's Chairman, said in a statement. "We look forward to the scheduled July 4th signing of this landmark legislation."
What's needed for bill to pass
There are 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two independents in the Senate. The reconciliation bill needs 51 votes in the Senate or 50 plus the vice president's vote to pass.
Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) have both expressed plans to vote "no" on the bill, lessening the Republican majority in the Senate needed to pass the bill. Voting on the reconciliation package is expected to carry through Monday evening.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com.