The House Ways and Means Committee advanced a number of President Donald J. Trump’s top tax priorities early Wednesday morning, setting the stage for a high-stakes sprint to get the provisions through the GOP’s razor-thin majority. The panel advanced the legislation — part of the party’s package containing President Trump’s legislative agenda — in a party-line 26-19 vote following an hours-long, overnight meeting that featured heated debate, scores of Democratic-led amendments, all of which were rejected, and ample estimates of the impact of the proposed policy. The tax bill now heads to the House Budget Committee at 9:00 A.M. Friday, which is tasked with combining all the portions of the Trump agenda bill into one package in advance of its consideration in the entire chamber.
House Republicans are still at odds over the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, which has emerged as one of the biggest, and most complicated, hang-ups dogging the party’s megabill. The Ways and Means Committee’s bill includes a $30,000 SALT deduction cap for individuals making $400,000 or less, a proposal that SALT Caucus members have rejected. While the Ways and Means Committee advanced the text with the $30,000 deduction cap, it could still change when the House Rules Committee considers the legislation and sets it up for debate and a vote in the full chamber. Fiscal hawks are also lashing out over what they say are the lack of Medicaid reforms in the legislative package, which could thwart the House GOP’s goal of passing the legislation next week. The anger from conservatives is centered on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s portion of the sprawling package, which beefs up work requirements for Medicaid and imposes more frequent eligibility checks but stops short of more substantial changes — such as siphoning federal funding away from states and conservative hard-liners are furious that the bill’s Medicaid work requirements wouldn’t begin for four years. The House GOP Conference will have a briefing tomorrow afternoon to try to dig through any reservations about the bill and if all goes well, it’s on to the Rules Committee on Monday, as GOP leaders hope to tee up a floor vote next week before Memorial Day weekend.
For today, the Senate convened at 10:00 A.M. and is considering Confirmation of Executive Calendar #84 Katharine MacGregor, of Florida, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Confirmation of Executive Calendar #42 Michael Rigas, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and Confirmation of Executive Calendar #72 Emil Michael, of Florida, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Later today, the Senate is also expected to take up Confirmation of Executive Calendar #82 Eric Matthew Ueland, of Virginia, to be Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget and a Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #88 Sean Donahue, of Florida, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The House convened at 12:00 P.M. for legislative business and has spent the day working on H. Res. 405 – Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2240) to require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2243) to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2255) to allow Federal law enforcement officers to purchase retired service weapons, and for other purposes. The House is also expected to take up H. Res. 353 – Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors and H.R. 2243 – LEOSA Reform Act. Later today the House will consider the following under suspension of the Rules: H. Res. 352 – Calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism and educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish American community and H R. 2215 – Salem Maritime National Historical Park Redesignation and Boundary Study Act.
