Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he plans to bring President Donald Trump's signature legislation to the floor of the upper chamber mid-next week.
Doing so would keep alive the hope of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sending the bill to the president's desk by July 4.
Thune told reporters Wednesday his conference members were "making good headway" on ensuring that key parts of the "one big, beautiful bill" will be approved by the Senate parliamentarian, Axios reported.
Under the reconciliation process, policies deemed unrelated to the budget will be tossed. That way, only 51 votes are needed for passage.
Legislation approved by the Senate will go back to the House, where leadership doubts the Senate's plan can pass due to changes to Medicaid, Punchbowl News reported.
Even in the Senate, Medicaid remains an issue.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told reporters the impact of the Medicaid provider tax changes on rural hospitals "has become a huge sticking point." He has not committed to supporting the bill.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., defended the cuts to Medicaid as necessary to "strengthen" the program.
Barrasso, who was a practicing medical doctor for more than two decades before entering politics, claimed in an opinion column on Wednesday that "Medicaid has stretched beyond its intended purpose" and provides coverage to too many people.
Senate Republicans also need to finalize its number for the state and local tax deductions cap, and fiscal hawks such as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., say the bill does not do enough to lower the deficit.
With Congress scheduled to go on recess the week of July 4, June 27 becomes the effective deadline to get a bill passed by Independence Day.
"It's coming up like a freight train," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told Axios of the July 4 deadline.
Some senators and staffers expect the parliamentarian and problems with the House GOP to force a pushing back of the July 4 deadline.
"It's probably 50-50, to be honest with you," Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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