Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday he is still working to win over a few Republicans who are not on board yet with the Republican tax reform bill that is tentatively scheduled for a vote this week.
“We do have a few members who have concerns and we are trying to address them,” McConnell said. “And we know we will not be able to go forward until we get 50 people satisfied, and that’s what we’re working on.”
Senate Republicans met privately Tuesday with President Trump, who took questions from lawmakers for an hour, McConnell said.
On Monday, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the Senate could vote to start debate on the tax measure as early as Wednesday.
But McConnell made no scheduling announcement on Tuesday, and instead reported that Trump “underscored the importance of accomplishing the first comprehensive tax reform in 31 years, which we fully intend to accomplish in the next few days.”
McConnell compared the negotiations to solving a Rubik’s Cube. “Big complicated bills like this are challenging,” McConnell said. “It’s always difficult. But every member has an opportunity to weigh in and some are still weighing in. We are hoping to satisfy them.”
A handful of senators are seeking changes to the tax reform bill to expand small business tax breaks and to ensure the cuts do not increase the budget deficit.
Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Steve Daines, R-Montana., John McCain, R-Ariz., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, are among the Senate lawmakers not yet committed to supporting the bill.
The GOP controls 52 votes and can pass the legislation with 50 votes with Vice President Mike Pence serving as the tiebreaker.
