Vance Cuts A New Deal With Republicans
Conservatives Strike Deal to Slash ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion
In a dramatic late-night breakthrough, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Vice President J.D. Vance struck a critical deal with conservative holdouts to save President Trump’s landmark “Big, Beautiful Bill” from collapse.
The agreement—hammered out in Thune’s Capitol Hill office—secured key votes from conservative senators who demanded tougher cuts to runaway Medicaid spending, especially the expansion championed under Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Trump’s Budget Bill Advances With Narrow 51-49 Vote
Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) flipped to support the bill after winning critical concessions to cut federal Medicaid outlays. Without their votes, the bill—which boosts funding for border security, military readiness, and massive tax relief—would have stalled.
The 940-page reconciliation package passed its first hurdle by a narrow 51-49 vote, with conservative senators demanding action on what they called “welfare abuse for able-bodied adults.”
$930 Billion in Medicaid Cuts Over 10 Years
A new Congressional Budget Office estimate shows the revised bill will cut $930 billion in federal Medicaid spending over the next decade—targeting benefits for childless, working-age adults in states that expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare.
Sen. Rick Scott told reporters:
“We’re done with blue-state governors exploiting red-state taxpayers. Paying for healthcare for illegal immigrants with federal tax dollars is going to end.”
Ending the 90% Match: Scott, Johnson Push Back on Medicaid Expansion
Senate conservatives secured Trump’s backing to lower the generous 90% federal match rate for newly eligible Medicaid enrollees in expansion states. That match rate, a cornerstone of ObamaCare, has long been criticized by Republicans for rewarding states that embraced big-government healthcare.
Sen. Johnson added:
“Disabled children get a lower match rate than able-bodied adults under ObamaCare. That’s upside-down. We’re fixing it.”
The group is close to securing the 50 votes needed to cap new enrollment in expanded Medicaid, giving states a grace period to transition.
President Trump: ‘Time to Balance the Budget’
Sen. Johnson revealed a two-hour meeting with President Trump helped seal the deal.
“He’s 100% on board. Trump knows we must end wasteful spending and finally put this country back on a path to a balanced budget.”
Not All Republicans on Board With Medicaid Cuts
Resistance remains among moderate Republicans. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) previously declared enhanced Medicaid match cuts “off the table.” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), representing a rural state, voiced strong opposition:
“Cutting Medicaid is a mistake. If we want to be the party of working people, we can’t strip their healthcare away.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she voted to move the bill forward out of respect for party leadership—but warned she hasn’t committed to voting yes on final passage.
What’s Next: Vote-a-Rama and Final Passage
The Senate now heads into up to 20 hours of debate, followed by a grueling amendment process known as a “vote-a-rama.” Final passage could come as early as Monday.
If successful, Trump’s legislation will deliver:
- Historic tax cuts
- Expanded border wall and immigration enforcement
- Record defense spending
- Major rollback of ObamaCare-era entitlements
Conservatives are confident that the president will rally enough support to finish the job.
“This is about restoring fiscal sanity,” Johnson said. “And President Trump is leading the charge.”
