WASHINGTON Republicans pushed a nearly $1.5 trillion tax bill through the Senate early Saturday, Dec. 2 after a burst of eleventh-hour horse trading, as a party starved all year for a major legislative triumph took a giant step toward giving President Donald Trump one of his top priorities by Christmas.
“Big bills are rarely popular. You remember how unpopular ‘Obamacare’ was when it passed?” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in an interview, shrugging off polls showing scant public enthusiasm for the measure. He said the legislation would prove to be “just what the country needs to get growing again.”
Senate approval came on a 51-49 roll call with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the only lawmaker to cross party lines. The measure focuses its tax reductions on businesses and higher-earning individuals, gives more modest breaks to others and offers the boldest rewrite of the nation’s tax system since 1986.
Republicans touted the package as one that would benefit people of all incomes and ignite the economy. Even an official projection of a $1 trillion, 10-year flood of deeper budget deficits couldn’t dissuade GOP senators from rallying behind the bill.
“Obviously I’m kind of a dinosaur on the fiscal issues,” said Corker, who battled to keep the bill from worsening the government’s accumulated $20 trillion in IOUs.
The Republican-led House approved a similar bill last month in what has been a stunningly swift trip through Congress for complex legislation that impacts the breadth of American society. The two chambers will now try crafting a final compromise to send Trump.
After spending the year’s first nine months futilely trying to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law, GOP leaders were determined to move the measure rapidly before opposition Democrats and lobbying groups could blow it up. The party views passage as crucial to retaining its House and Senate majorities in next year’s elections.
Democrats derided the bill as a GOP gift to its wealthy and business backers at the expense of lower-earning people. They contrasted the bill’s permanent reduction in corporate income tax rates from 35 percent to 20 percent to smaller individual tax breaks that would end in 2026.
Congress’ nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation has said the bill’s reductions for many families would be modest and said by 2027, families earning under $75,000 would on average face higher, not lower, taxes.
Source: Oc Register
GOP tax-overhaul bill passes Senate, 51-49
More from governmentMore posts in government »
- California’s $6.38 billion mental health bond measure still too close to call
- US Senate polls show flipflopping projections in Porter-Garvey scrap for second place
- A year after the death of OC lawyer Elliot Blair in Mexico, mystery remains but healing begins
- CHP issuess state’s 1st Ebony Alert; teen found safe
- Language for statewide parental notification ballot measure sparks lawsuit
More from national politicsMore posts in national politics »
- ‘Access Hollywood’ tape won’t be played at Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial, judge rules
- Trump’s lawyers say it is impossible for him to post bond covering $454 million civil fraud judgment
- US, allies warn Iran against deal to send missiles to Russia
- DA Fani Willis must step aside or remove special prosecutor in Trump’s Georgia case, judge says
- Ex-Trump cabinet member Steve Mnuchin wants to buy TikTok with help of investment group
More from NewsMore posts in News »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- ‘Access Hollywood’ tape won’t be played at Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial, judge rules
- Chief justice denies ex-Trump aide, UC Irvine professor Peter Navarro’s bid to delay sentence
- Nature, trails and…tech? How AllTrails CEO aims to make the outdoors more accessible than ever
- Trump’s lawyers say it is impossible for him to post bond covering $454 million civil fraud judgment
More from Orange County CoastMore posts in Orange County Coast »
- Police seeking man who led them on high-speed chase from Orange County to Carson
- Beckman, Woodbridge and Crean Lutheran finish boys basketball tournament Saturday
- CHP chases pickup into Carson, pursuit began in Orange County
- Bicyclist injured after being struck by car in Fullerton
- World AIDS Day vigil in Laguna Beach pays tribute to those who died
More from taxesMore posts in taxes »
- No fair: Poll finds most feel they pay too much in taxes
- DA questions Irvine chamber’s use of special tax revenues for hotel promotions
- Hunter Biden set to be arraigned in LA on federal tax charges
- Top paid California non-profit CEO made $35.5 million; many others also get big bucks
- State lawmakers seek to limit property tax increases as home values soar
More from Top Stories BreezeMore posts in Top Stories Breeze »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
More from top stories ivdbMore posts in top stories ivdb »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
- Why Mt. Baldy can be deceptive, deadly for novice and skilled hikers alike
More from Top Stories LADNMore posts in Top Stories LADN »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- From ‘legacy runners’ to Kenyan fans, voices from the 2024 LA Marathon
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
More from Top Stories LBPTMore posts in Top Stories LBPT »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
More from Top Stories OCRMore posts in Top Stories OCR »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- Chief justice denies ex-Trump aide, UC Irvine professor Peter Navarro’s bid to delay sentence
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- 34 home burglaries committed in Irvine in last 35 days, police say
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
More from Top Stories PEMore posts in Top Stories PE »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
- Why Mt. Baldy can be deceptive, deadly for novice and skilled hikers alike
- Southern California unemployment hits 5.3%, highest in 2 years
More from Top Stories PSNMore posts in Top Stories PSN »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
More from top stories rdfMore posts in top stories rdf »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
- Why Mt. Baldy can be deceptive, deadly for novice and skilled hikers alike
- Southern California unemployment hits 5.3%, highest in 2 years
More from Top Stories SGVTMore posts in Top Stories SGVT »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
More from top stories sunMore posts in top stories sun »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
- Why Mt. Baldy can be deceptive, deadly for novice and skilled hikers alike
- Southern California unemployment hits 5.3%, highest in 2 years
More from Top Stories WDNMore posts in Top Stories WDN »
- Storm system delivers thunderstorms, hail in Southern California
- EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban
- LAX travelers fight ‘absolutely horrendous traffic’ mess on Sunday
- LA Marathon: 3,500 young runners from Students Run LA raced, and all won
- Realtors settlement brings confusion, relief to Southern California’s real estate industry
Be First to Comment