Senate Republicans are set to convene on Wednesday to tackle the most complex aspects of their comprehensive legislative proposal, the ‘big, beautiful bill.’ The meeting will focus on refining tax cuts, border security investments, energy policy, and other contentious elements. Key committee chairs, including Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo and Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, are expected to brief colleagues on the progress and challenges in drafting these provisions.
Following a similar meeting last week where lawmakers discussed less contentious parts of the bill, the Tuesday session will address more delicate areas, such as the state-and-local-tax deduction cap. Crapo, who oversees tax priorities and changes to Medicaid and Medicare, is anticipated to provide updates on the Finance Committee’s work. Originally planned to release the tax provisions by Friday, the Finance Committee may delay the text until early next week due to ongoing discussions on complex provisions.
Meanwhile, Boozman faces pushback from states regarding a House plan that would require them to contribute to the cost of federal food assistance, known as SNAP. The Agriculture Committee is also under pressure to achieve the $150 billion in net savings that Senate Republican leaders have mandated for the agriculture portion of the bill. This has led to delays in the expected release of the Agriculture Committee’s text, which had initially been scheduled for Wednesday but now appears uncertain.
As governors raised concerns over the cost-share plan in private meetings over the weekend, the Senate Republican leadership is working to address these issues and finalize the legislation. This development highlights the growing challenges in harmonizing the various components of the bill while balancing fiscal and policy considerations.