McConnell Says Republicans Have the Votes to Pass the Tax Bill
Mr. Flake, in a statement, said he would support the tax bill after getting changes to a budget “gimmick” and a commitment
that Senate leaders and the Trump administration would work with him on a legislative solution on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
“After weeks of fighting for Main Street businesses including Montana’s farmers
and ranchers, I’ve decided to support the Senate tax cut bill, which provides significant tax relief for Main Street businesses,” Mr. Daines said in a statement on Friday morning.
• An effort by Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee to include future tax increases to offset the deficit impact of the
bill was rejected by Senate leadership, prompting Mr. Corker to say he is unable to support the legislation.
“As revised, this bill will provide much-needed tax relief
and simplification for lower- and middle-income families, while spurring the creation of good jobs and greater economic growth.”
Party leaders also picked up the votes of three other holdouts: Mr. Flake, Mr. Daines and Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Corker had pushed to scale back the tax cuts in the Senate bill in the wake of a report from the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation
that projected the bill would add $1 trillion to deficits over the course of a decade, even after accounting for economic growth.
“Having secured these key improvements in the bill, as well as the commitments to legislation to help lower
health insurance premiums, I will cast my vote in support of the Senate tax reform bill,” she said.