On Saturday, Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) indicated they would support advancing the Senate version of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” The text of the proposal was revealed by GOP sources on Friday.
Collins mentioned her intention to vote for the measure due to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), but she expressed significant concerns about the legislation, noting that she plans to suggest amendments to modify it.
“I intend to vote to advance the motion. Generally, I respect the authority of the majority leaders to bring bills to the Senate floor, but I can’t predict how I’ll vote on the final passage,” she stated.
She elaborated, “It will really depend on whether the bill sees substantial changes. There are some positive revisions in the latest version, but I would like to see more adjustments. I plan to propose a number of revisions.”
Collins also mentioned that Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are not likely to support the current legislation.
Hawley, who had previously voiced concerns over significant cuts to federal Medicaid, also voted to move forward with the bill. He indicated that this legislation is essential for ensuring Missouri receives increased federal Medicaid funding over the next four years.
Additionally, he highlighted a provision for $1 billion targeted towards Missouri residents affected by radiation exposure from nuclear weapon development during the 1940s Manhattan Project as a motivating factor for his support.
“Thanks to adjustments in the provider tax structure and modifications to local hospital funding, Missouri’s Medicaid funding is actually set to increase in the coming four years,” he noted.
“We’ll be pushing Medicaid funding above baseline levels until 2030. No changes to the Missouri provider framework will be implemented until next decade,” he mentioned.
Hawley added that the GOP leadership has agreed to boost the local hospital relief fund from $15 billion to $25 billion and to revise the funding formula to allocate more federal resources to his region.
He also reassured that the funding for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act he advocated for remains secure.
“This means enhanced healthcare for Missouri, a significant influx of funds is set to flow into the state, and based on that, I’m committed to voting Yes on this bill,” he remarked.
With Republicans holding 53 seats in the Senate, they have a comfortable majority to advance the bill. If this effort surpasses the simple majority threshold, the Chamber of Commerce will review the legislation before heading to a “vote,” where numerous amendments can be proposed before the final decision is made.
