Obstacles emerge as GOP races to tax finish
A revolt from two Republican senators concerned about the Child Tax Credit and the absence of two more Republican senators because of illness has injected fresh uncertainty into the GOP’s tax bill push.
The Senate was expected to vote first on the $1.5 trillion tax package, but that is now in doubt as GOP leaders aren’t absolutely sure they’ll have enough votes early next week to pass it.
Leaders have little room for error. The Christmas recess is fast approaching and soon they will see their Senate majority fall by one vote because Democrat Doug Jones won the Alabama special election on Tuesday.
Jones could be sworn into office as soon as Dec. 26, though it’s more likely that he will be seated after New Year’s Day.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) lobbed a bomb into the final negotiations Thursday by threatening to vote against the bill unless it makes the Child Tax Credit more generous to people who don’t pay income taxes.
"Right now it's only $1,100. It needs to be higher than that," Rubio told reporters, referring to the amount of the credit that is refundable in the Senate-passed tax bill. The amount was indexed to inflation.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/365028-obstacles-emerge-as-gop-races-to-tax-finish
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