Top Senate Republican John Thune has the difficult task of keeping his 53-member majority in line, as they use a parliamentary maneuver to bypass unified Democratic opposition to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which would extend his 2017 tax cuts and boost spending on border security and the military.

Republicans suffered a blow Thursday after the Senate referee ruled that a series of health care cuts and savings in their sweeping domestic policy bill are ineligible for the party-line path they're using to get around the chamber's 60-vote threshold.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a key Medicaid provider tax overhaul that is central to President Donald Trump’s big tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow to Republicans rushing to finish the massive package this week.