Senator Joni Ernst held her first in-person town hall meeting of the year and many in the crowd in Parkersburg raised concerns about the “Big Beautiful Bill” that passed the House and is under consideration in the U-S Senate. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cut over 700 billion dollars from Medicaid over the next ten years. Ernst said the goal is to make sure people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits aren’t getting them.

Ernst says Republicans intend to return to the original rules for Medicaid.

Ernst says she agrees with most of the House provisions on Medicaid, but she did not comment today (Friday) on the section of the bill that would establish work requirements for able bodied Medicaid recipients. Ernst told the crowd in Parkersburg senators would eliminate some policy items in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” That’s because Senate rules only allow spending related matters to pass by a 51 vote margin. Bills that include policy are subject to the senate’s 60 vote filibuster rule.