The Senate late Wednesday voted down an attempt by Democrats to send the Republican tax bill back to committee.
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the bill should return to committee so it can be reworked in a way that leads to bipartisan support.
But Republicans viewed the move as a stalling tactic, and the chamber voted 48-51 against the Democratic proposal, which kept the bill on the Senate floor.
That’s the same party line split the Senate saw just hours earlier when it agreed to proceed to the bill, a vote that set up a frenzied rest of the week for Senate Republicans who hope to pass it this week.
But to get there, Republicans are expected to tweak the tax bill somewhat before it can be passed.
Some senators are still pushing for language that would adjust tax levels higher if sagging revenues lead to faster than expected growth in the budget deficit. And others are looking to restore some of the tax deductions the bill eliminates in an effort to simplify the tax code.
