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| Senate Republicans rush to amend tax bill as vote looms | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Senate Republicans rushed to finish drafting legislation to overhaul the US tax code hours before they were expected to vote on the measure, which would bestow huge tax cuts on US corporations and the wealthiest Americans. | |
| Senate tax writers released an amendment that included a wide range of changes to the legislation, some of which were handwritten into the margins of the document. Democrats mocked Republicans’ hasty effort to rewrite the tax bill, saying it underscored the unusual and hurried nature of the process. Senator Dick Durbin, the minority whip from Illinois, held up a page with scribbled notes on the Senate floor. | |
| “I defy any member of the Senate to stand here, take an oath that they have read this and understand what in the world it means to businesses and families and individuals,” Durbin said, declaring the notes ineligible. | |
| “This is your United States Senate at work,” Durbin added. “This is what happens when you push through a bill, late at night, desperate to pass it, without really stopping to ask yourself, ‘Will this make us a stronger nation?’” | |
| On Friday morning, Mitch McConnell emerged, smiling, from a meeting with colleagues, to announce that his party had secured the votes necessary to pass the legislation. | |
| “We have the votes,” McConnell told reporters on his way to the Senate floor. He said a final vote was expected later in the day. | “We have the votes,” McConnell told reporters on his way to the Senate floor. He said a final vote was expected later in the day. |
| The House of Representatives passed its own tax reform legislation earlier this month. When the Senate passes its version, the two bills will be reconciled, presenting further hurdles in the coming weeks. | The House of Representatives passed its own tax reform legislation earlier this month. When the Senate passes its version, the two bills will be reconciled, presenting further hurdles in the coming weeks. |
| The achievement marked a significant milestone for Republicans, who suffered a series of embarrassing blows earlier this year by failing on multiple occasions to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act amid opposition within their own party. | The achievement marked a significant milestone for Republicans, who suffered a series of embarrassing blows earlier this year by failing on multiple occasions to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act amid opposition within their own party. |
| Trump and Republicans in Washington subsequently staked their political fortunes on the hope that tax reform would not suffer the same fate as healthcare repeal. | Trump and Republicans in Washington subsequently staked their political fortunes on the hope that tax reform would not suffer the same fate as healthcare repeal. |
| The plan, a $1.4tn package of tax cuts, had been heading smoothly toward a vote on Thursday until the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation projected that the plan would add $1tn to the federal deficit over the next decade – even after factoring in the economic growth the bill is projected to generate. Republicans had contended the tax cuts enclosed in their plan would in effect pay for themselves through growth. | The plan, a $1.4tn package of tax cuts, had been heading smoothly toward a vote on Thursday until the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation projected that the plan would add $1tn to the federal deficit over the next decade – even after factoring in the economic growth the bill is projected to generate. Republicans had contended the tax cuts enclosed in their plan would in effect pay for themselves through growth. |
| Senate Republicans are using a vehicle known as “budget reconciliation” to pass the tax plan using a simple-majority vote, leaving them room for only two defections. Faced with competing concerns, leadership spent the night locked in negotiations with members over the legislation’s impact on the federal deficit, healthcare and certain businesses. | Senate Republicans are using a vehicle known as “budget reconciliation” to pass the tax plan using a simple-majority vote, leaving them room for only two defections. Faced with competing concerns, leadership spent the night locked in negotiations with members over the legislation’s impact on the federal deficit, healthcare and certain businesses. |
| On Friday morning, Senate Republicans regained momentum after three key holdouts announced their support for the tax overhaul in exchange for a series of changes to the legislation. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican of Maine, said she would vote in favor of the legislation, ensuring that Vice-President Mike Pence would not be needed to break a tie. | On Friday morning, Senate Republicans regained momentum after three key holdouts announced their support for the tax overhaul in exchange for a series of changes to the legislation. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican of Maine, said she would vote in favor of the legislation, ensuring that Vice-President Mike Pence would not be needed to break a tie. |
| Republican senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker had sought to extract an agreement that would scale back some of the tax cuts in the event the economic growth projections were not met. On Thursday, they unexpectedly held court on the Senate floor, after learning that a mechanism they created to limit the impact on the national debt was not compliant with the Senate’s budget rules. The tense show-down led Republicans scrambling to find a way to offset the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. | Republican senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker had sought to extract an agreement that would scale back some of the tax cuts in the event the economic growth projections were not met. On Thursday, they unexpectedly held court on the Senate floor, after learning that a mechanism they created to limit the impact on the national debt was not compliant with the Senate’s budget rules. The tense show-down led Republicans scrambling to find a way to offset the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. |
| But ultimately, the plans were rejected by Senate leadership, Senator Ted Cruz told reporters, after he and a number of other senators stridently objected. | But ultimately, the plans were rejected by Senate leadership, Senator Ted Cruz told reporters, after he and a number of other senators stridently objected. |
| “That proposal did not carry the day,” Cruz said. “Those $350bn in tax increases are not in the bill ... and larding the bill up with new tax increases would have been going the wrong direction.” | “That proposal did not carry the day,” Cruz said. “Those $350bn in tax increases are not in the bill ... and larding the bill up with new tax increases would have been going the wrong direction.” |
| Flake on Friday announced that he would support the bill despite his concerns, saying in a statement that he had secured two priorities: the elimination of an $85bn “expensing budget gimmick” and a “firm commitment” from the leadership and administration that Congress would enact permanent protections for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. | Flake on Friday announced that he would support the bill despite his concerns, saying in a statement that he had secured two priorities: the elimination of an $85bn “expensing budget gimmick” and a “firm commitment” from the leadership and administration that Congress would enact permanent protections for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. |
| Corker will vote against the bill, claiming he was disappointed and had wanted to vote yes, but could not set aside his concerns about the US debt burden. | Corker will vote against the bill, claiming he was disappointed and had wanted to vote yes, but could not set aside his concerns about the US debt burden. |
| “This is yet another tough vote,” Corker said in a statement. | “This is yet another tough vote,” Corker said in a statement. |
| “But at the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations,” he added. | “But at the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations,” he added. |
| Key to winning over the Republican senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Steve Daines of Montana was an agreement to expand tax cuts for millions of businesses known as “pass-through entities”. The plan will now allow owners of these companies to deduct 23% of their business income, up 17.4%. | Key to winning over the Republican senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Steve Daines of Montana was an agreement to expand tax cuts for millions of businesses known as “pass-through entities”. The plan will now allow owners of these companies to deduct 23% of their business income, up 17.4%. |
| Democrats, who were excluded from the process of drafting the tax plan, have remained united in their opposition, attacking the legislation as a giveaway to corporate America and the wealthy. | Democrats, who were excluded from the process of drafting the tax plan, have remained united in their opposition, attacking the legislation as a giveaway to corporate America and the wealthy. |
| “In the waning hours, this bill is tilting further towards businesses and away from families,” said Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, in a floor speech on Friday. “Every time the choice is between corporations and families, the Republicans choose corporations.” | “In the waning hours, this bill is tilting further towards businesses and away from families,” said Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, in a floor speech on Friday. “Every time the choice is between corporations and families, the Republicans choose corporations.” |
| Republican Senate leaders were meanwhile working to draft the changes to the legislation as the hours ticked by on Friday. | Republican Senate leaders were meanwhile working to draft the changes to the legislation as the hours ticked by on Friday. |
| Trump has called for a tax bill to reach his desk by the end of the year, vowing to deliver a “big, beautiful Christmas present” to Americans. | Trump has called for a tax bill to reach his desk by the end of the year, vowing to deliver a “big, beautiful Christmas present” to Americans. |
| “A vote to cut taxes is a vote to put America first again. We want to do that,” Trump said on Wednesday. | “A vote to cut taxes is a vote to put America first again. We want to do that,” Trump said on Wednesday. |