GOP/MIKE PENCE/TAXES: “Vice President Mike Pence will meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday [10-31-17] as Republicans grappled with key provisions in the tax cut bill and lobbyists expressed concern that a bill might not be ready by a self-imposed deadline…
He said the number of unresolved issues was ‘very, very few,’ but did not elaborate.
Other lawmakers and lobbyists, however, said major elements were up in the air.
Questions remained on tax deductions for business interest payments and state and local taxes, as well as proposals to change tax law on retirement savings and small business taxes, they said.
Any significant delay in unveiling a bill could jeopardize the Republicans’ goal of getting it through Congress and onto President Donald Trump’s desk before January 2018.
Pence planned a series of meetings with lawmakers on Tuesday as they scrambled to work through the remaining issues.
In an effort to fulfill 2016 campaign promises and score their first significant legislative achievement since winning the White House and majorities in Congress, Trump and the Republicans have vowed to enact the first comprehensive tax reform since 1986.”
-David Morgan and Amanda Becker, “Pence goes to Capitol Hill as lawmakers work on tax bill,” Reuters, Oct. 30, 2017 05:13pm