WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Republicans will grapple on Friday with the possibility of adding a tax increase to sweeping legislation meant to cut taxes on businesses and individuals, aiming to win support from fiscal conservatives worried about the bill’s impact on the federal deficit.
With a mandatory 20 hours of Senate debate nearing expiration, the Republican lawmakers, who control the chamber, could move to a final vote late in the day after a procedural vote starting at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) and a potentially chaotic “vote-a-rama” on tax bill amendments offered by both Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans were still wrangling behind the scenes over how to raise $350 billion or more in taxes over 10 years to prevent their legislation from ballooning the federal deficit if the proposed cuts fail to generate the expected economic growth.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and others were also working on deals to win support from party members who want better tax breaks for non-corporate pass-through businesses, a bigger child tax credit for families, and a $10,000 deduction for state and local property taxes.
Despite the hurdles, rank-and-file Republicans were still optimistic that they could approve the bill this week and agree this month to final legislation with the House of Representatives, which their party also controls.
Republican Senator Daines says he will support tax bill -statement
Asked if lawmakers would have to accept smaller tax cuts, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said: “We’ll have to see.”
Early on Friday morning, Trump praised congressional Republicans’ work and blamed Democrats for trying to derail the bill, tweeting: “The Bill is getting better and better.”
Democrats have been united in their opposition to the bill, calling it a giveaway to the wealthy and corporations.
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