Senate rejects a budget waiver for the amendment to establish a reserve fund for extending Medicaid's abortion-payment prohibition
On the Motion (Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Hawley Amdt. No. 4794)
APR 23, 2026 · 12:53 AM ET
Party-line vote, except 2 Republicans who crossed. 10 votes short of the 60 needed.
What the Senate was voting on
The Senate voted on whether to set aside budget rules that S.Amdt. 4794 would otherwise break, to allow budget adjustments for later proposals extending the ban on federal Medicaid payments to abortion providers. S.Con.Res. 33 sets the federal budget framework for fiscal years 2026–2035 and gives committees reconciliation instructions for deficit-increasing legislation. The motion fell 10 votes short of the 60 needed and was rejected.
Set aside budget rules that S.Amdt. 4794 would otherwise break.
Keep the budget rules in place for S.Amdt. 4794.
Adds a reserve fund allowing the Senate Budget chairman to adjust committee allocations, budget totals and the pay-as-you-go ledger for proposals extending the ban on federal Medicaid payments to abortion providers, if they do not increase…
Agreed to by both chambers on April 29, 2026. Concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.
- VP
- The Vice President can break ties on simple-majority votes, not on 60-vote ones.
60 is three-fifths of the 100 senators sworn in. Waiving a Budget Act limit takes three-fifths of sworn senators, not of those voting.
- VP
- The Vice President can break ties on simple-majority votes, not on 60-vote ones.
Party line, with 2 Republicans crossing2 Republicans crossed. It wasn’t enough.
Every vote on S.Con.Res. 33, in both chambersFailed in the Senate. Passed the House.
CHAMBER CONTRASTThe Senate rejected it 50–48 on April 23, 10 short of the 60 needed. The House agreed to it 215–211 on April 29.
- APR 21Discharged from committeeDISCHARGED
- APR 21#87Motion to proceedAGREED TO52–46
- APR 23#97THIS VOTEBudget waiver for the amendment to establish a reserve fund for extending Medicaid's abortion-payment prohibitionFAILED50–4810 votes short of the 60 needed.
- APR 23#105On adoptionPASSED50–48
