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An unelected Senate parliamentarian should not be deciding what stays and what doesn’t in the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told Fox News Channel in an interview that earned President Trump’s approval.
Conservatives were furious on Thursday morning after learning Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled several key reforms and tweaks to Medicaid in the Senate GOP’s version of President Trump’s bill did not pass muster with Senate Rules. One senator, Roger Marshall, of Kansas, called for MacDonough to be replaced.
Steube was a guest on FOX Report on Sunday morning, when host Jon Scott asked him where he stood on whether the parliamentarian should have been overruled or even fired. He agreed with Marshall.
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“Yeah, I had called for her to be fired,” Steube said. “I don’t think that one person who’s unelected, who got appointed over a decade ago, should be the one deciding what stays in and what doesn’t.”
Lawmakers across the U.S. were elected by their constituents to make those decisions; not the parliamentarians, he said.
At the moment, Republicans hold majorities in the House and the Senate. MacDonough was appointed by the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was a Democrat.
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Steube questioned why current Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., would not replace MacDonough with a Republican appointee.
“We’ve certainly called for that,” Steube said. “Thune has said he’s not going to do that, so they’re going to move forward.”
Scott noted that MacDonough has said she is supposed to be call balls and strikes, not make political decisions. When Scott asked Steube if he thought MacDonough was working for the Democrats, the lawmaker noted she was appointed by one.
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“What House lawmakers that have been elected by the people passed by a majority of the House of Representatives and sent over to the Senate are now getting struck by one person who was appointed by Harry Reid,” Steube said. “I certainly don’t think that’s what the American people voted for.
Trump later posted about Steube’s interview on Truth Social.
“Great Congressman Greg Steube is 100% correct,” the president wrote. “An unelected Senate Staffer (Parliamentarian), should not be allowed to hurt the Republicans Bill. Wants many fantastic things out. NO!”
Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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