It\u2019s megabill crunch time in the Senate.<\/p>\n

Arm-twisting over what to change in the House-passed version of the \u201cbig, beautiful\u201d bill will largely play out behind closed doors the next few days. Strategy huddles include Senate Finance\u2019s meeting tonight and Wednesday\u2019s \u201cBig Six\u201d confab between Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Speaker Mike Johnson, their tax committee chairs and lead administration officials.<\/p>\n

One of Thune\u2019s biggest challenges to pass the bill by July 4 will be winning over the \u201cMedicaid moderates\u201d<\/a> \u2014 an ideological cross-section of members who are aligned against the cuts passed by the House and have the numbers to force changes. Among them: Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Thune can only lose three GOP senators to pass the megabill.<\/p>\n

Thune and Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (Idaho), who is juggling Medicaid and tax conflicts in the bill, are talking to key members in anticipation of difficult negotiations. Crapo told Jordain he personally supports the House\u2019s Medicaid work requirements, which some GOP senators wary of benefit cuts say they could also support. But beyond that, they\u2019re steering clear of public commitments.<\/p>\n

One potentially major sticking point: The House-passed freeze on provider taxes, which most states use to help finance their share of Medicaid costs. Sen. Jim Justice, the former West Virginia governor, called it a \u201creal issue\u201d and Hawley has also raised concerns. But other GOP senators, including Kevin Cramer (N.D.), want to go even further in reducing, not just freezing, the provider tax.<\/p>\n

Republicans got a glimpse of the political minefield surrounding Medicaid while back home last week. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst\u2019s \u201cwe\u2019re all going to die\u201d response<\/a> to town hall pushback about the cuts \u2014 and her decision to double down on the comments<\/a> \u2014 generated days of negative headlines and ad fodder for Democrats.<\/p>\n

Mehmet Oz, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told POLITICO’s Dasha Burns<\/a> in the debut episode of her podcast \u201c The Conversation<\/a>\u201d that the Medicaid work requirements in the bill would \u201cfuture proof\u201d the program.<\/p>\n

Then there are the deficit hawks. President Donald Trump over the weekend warned Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) to get behind the megabill<\/a>, with Paul vowing to vote against it over an included debt-limit hike.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just Paul making noise. Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) is calling for a line-by-line budget review<\/a> to find places to slash more spending, and Sens. Mike Lee (Utah) and Rick Scott (Fla.) are also pushing for more cuts.<\/p>\n

Paul hinted at hard-liners\u2019 leverage Sunday on CBS\u2019 \u201cFace the Nation,\u201d<\/a> saying: \u201cI would be very surprised if the bill at least is not modified in a good direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

What else we’re watching:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u2014 Senate Dems make a move: <\/b>Senate Democrats are preparing to challenge parts of the GOP megabill with the parliamentarian, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a \u201cDear Colleague\u201d letter Sunday. He highlighted a specific House provision that critics say would weaken judges\u2019 power to enforce contempt orders.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Trump\u2019s budget request faces first tests: <\/b>The House Appropriations Committee will begin marking up the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Agriculture portion of Trump\u2019s fiscal 2026 budget request this Thursday. Trump\u2019s request includes 22 percent cuts in non-defense spending<\/a> and sweeping cuts that Democrats don\u2019t appear interested in supporting (and their votes will be critical in September to avoid a government shutdown). <\/p>\n

\u2014 Hitting Blue Light News:<\/b> Trump administration officials will testify this week in defense of the president\u2019s fiscal 2026 budget. That includes Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Tuesday, Acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau on Wednesday and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>\n

Jordain Carney and Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"