On Friday, Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough dismissed several Republican initiatives within the budget process concerning cuts to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) funding and Federal Reserve staff salaries.
Parliamentary Ruling on the Bill
The parliamentarian ruled that the GOP-backed measures fell outside the scope of the budget process used to advance tax and budget policies without Democratic support. These measures included eliminating independent funding for the CFPB and reducing Federal Reserve staff salaries.
Democratic Reaction to the Bill
Democrats stated that they will continue to challenge many provisions in the bill, seeing them as violations of Senate rules. Senator Jeff Merkley emphasized that the party would scrutinize every part of the bill, which they referred to as the 'Great Betrayal.'
Future Steps of Republicans
Senator Tim Scott, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, expressed his intention to continue working with MacDonough but did not provide details on next steps. More rulings from the Senate's nonpartisan referee are expected as Republicans push to finalize their tax and spending priorities.
Thus, the latest rulings by the Senate parliamentarian present significant barriers to the implementation of the Trump administration's budget, particularly regarding the CFPB, which has long been a point of contention for Republicans.
