House Republicans are poised Thursday to pass a sweeping tax-reform package that, if enacted, would deliver the first major legislative victory of the Trump era.
President Trump will visit Capitol Hill ahead of the vote to rally support, but it appears there will be little need to twist arms.
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and fellow leaders have been in a buoyant mood all week, signaling they have the 217 votes needed to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
It’s a dramatic departure from turmoil that surrounded the health-care debate earlier this year, when poisonous GOP infighting essentially doomed the legislation.“It’s more than just a tax bill. It will show that Republicans can get things done,” said Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.), a senior member of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) vote-counting operation.
While the White House and Hill Republicans are much more unified on taxes than they ever were on health care, they still have a long way to go.
And the days leading up to the vote have been relatively drama-free, as the three main House GOP factions — the far-right Freedom Caucus, conservative Republican Study Committee and moderate Tuesday Group — have either backed the bill or stayed on the sidelines.
Senate Republicans will still need to pass their own tax bill. Their version calls for repealing ObamaCare’s individual insurance mandate and completely eliminates state and local tax (SALT) deductions popular in California, New York, New Jersey and other high-tax states.
The House bill does not touch the insurance mandate but preserves a state and local property tax deduction, capped at $10,000.
If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) can corral 51 votes for the measure, House and Senate negotiators would then need to work out their differences in a conference committee.
It’s in that committee where fireworks could erupt.
President Trump will visit Capitol Hill ahead of the vote to rally support, but it appears there will be little need to twist arms.
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and fellow leaders have been in a buoyant mood all week, signaling they have the 217 votes needed to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
It’s a dramatic departure from turmoil that surrounded the health-care debate earlier this year, when poisonous GOP infighting essentially doomed the legislation.“It’s more than just a tax bill. It will show that Republicans can get things done,” said Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.), a senior member of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) vote-counting operation.
While the White House and Hill Republicans are much more unified on taxes than they ever were on health care, they still have a long way to go.
And the days leading up to the vote have been relatively drama-free, as the three main House GOP factions — the far-right Freedom Caucus, conservative Republican Study Committee and moderate Tuesday Group — have either backed the bill or stayed on the sidelines.
Senate Republicans will still need to pass their own tax bill. Their version calls for repealing ObamaCare’s individual insurance mandate and completely eliminates state and local tax (SALT) deductions popular in California, New York, New Jersey and other high-tax states.
The House bill does not touch the insurance mandate but preserves a state and local property tax deduction, capped at $10,000.
If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) can corral 51 votes for the measure, House and Senate negotiators would then need to work out their differences in a conference committee.
It’s in that committee where fireworks could erupt.