Conservatives are increasing the pressure on House and Senate leaders to ensure that the Republican tax reform plan repeals language in Obamacare that requires people to buy health insurance. The provision isn’t in the House tax reform plan now churning through the Ways and Means Committee, but some lawmakers are hoping it will make it into the House bill or otherwise be part of a Senate tax reform plan expected later this week.
At a Senate press conference on tax reform Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said eliminating the mandate “makes it much easier” to pay for tax reform, because it would create $400 billion in tax savings. Cruz noted that instead of taking this course, the House bill offsets tax cuts with the elimination of popular tax deductions, such as the deduction for state and local taxes.
