Trump’s 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Stumbles in Senate Over Byrd Rule Violations

President Donald Trump’s much-touted "big, beautiful bill" is hitting a snag in the Senate, where several key provisions have been flagged as violations of the Senate’s Byrd Rule. This so-called Byrd Bath process, led by Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, is scrubbing the GOP’s massive legislative package to ensure it can pass via budget reconciliation—a maneuver to dodge the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Among the casualties? A bold attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a GOP target since 2008, which would’ve slashed $6.4 billion in spending. Also on the chopping block: efforts to impose spending oversight on $150 billion in Defense Department funds, cuts to the Financial Research Fund, and a reshuffling of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to save $773 million. Even a tweak to the Federal Reserve’s pay schedule, worth $1.4 billion in savings, didn’t make the cut.

Environmental rollbacks from the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, including a repeal of 2027 vehicle tailpipe emissions standards, were also deemed non-compliant. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott vowed to keep fighting for his committee’s provisions, particularly targeting "wasteful spending" at the CFPB.

Democrats, smelling blood, are leveraging the Byrd Bath to slow the GOP’s momentum, aiming to delay the bill’s delivery to Trump’s desk by July 4. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, however, has ruled out overruling the parliamentarian, sticking to the rules despite pressure. While Republicans can appeal the rulings, the clock is ticking on this ambitious package.