Arizona’s Jeff Flake became the first Republican senator to raise doubts about his party’s tax reform plan Thursday afternoon, saying he is concerned about the tax cut’s potential effects on the debt even before the measure was officially released.
“I remain concerned over how the current tax reform proposals will grow the already staggering national debt by opting for short-term fixes while ignoring long-term problems for taxpayers and the economy,” Flake said.
“We must achieve real tax reform crafted in a fiscally responsible manner. I look forward to working with my colleagues during a full and robust debate on the Senate floor to deliver on that goal,” he added.
With only 52 Republicans in the upper chamber, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., can afford to lose only two votes and still pass tax reform, giving major influence to every member of the caucus.
Flake, who has said he will not run for re-election, is just one of several GOP senators who have said they do not want to add to the debt via tax cuts.
The Senate Finance Committee, the members of which have been writing the tax legislation, briefed Republican senators Thursday morning on the plan. The draft of the plan, however, had still not been released when Flake aired his concerns.
