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| Democrats Pull Out of Trump Meeting as G.O.P. Leaders Hunt for Votes on Tax Bill | Democrats Pull Out of Trump Meeting as G.O.P. Leaders Hunt for Votes on Tax Bill |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| This week kicks off a frenzied effort by Senate Republicans to pass their tax code overhaul, with party leaders hoping to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote by Friday. Before that can happen, they need to win over a number of uncommitted senators and jump through some procedural hoops. Here’s what to watch for on Tuesday: | This week kicks off a frenzied effort by Senate Republicans to pass their tax code overhaul, with party leaders hoping to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote by Friday. Before that can happen, they need to win over a number of uncommitted senators and jump through some procedural hoops. Here’s what to watch for on Tuesday: |
| • Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said they were pulling out of a White House meeting after President Trump attacked them in a tweet. | |
| • Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, says Democrats should “put aside their pettiness” and show up for the meeting. | |
| • Mr. Trump has arrived at the Capitol where he plans to attend a lunch with Republican senators. | |
| • The tax bill will face a key test when the Senate Budget Committee meets to consider the measure later in the afternoon. | • The tax bill will face a key test when the Senate Budget Committee meets to consider the measure later in the afternoon. |
| • Democrats on the Budget Committee will object to the tax overhaul in force. | • Democrats on the Budget Committee will object to the tax overhaul in force. |
| The two top Democrats, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, said their party will skip a planned meeting with Mr. Trump and congressional leaders that was scheduled for this afternoon after the president posted on Twitter this morning that he was meeting with “Chuck and Nancy” to discuss ways to avert a government shutdown and wrote “I don’t see a deal!” | |
| “Given that the President doesn’t see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead,” Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi said in a statement. | “Given that the President doesn’t see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead,” Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi said in a statement. |
| “Rather than going to the White House for a show meeting that won’t result in an agreement, we’ve asked Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan to meet this afternoon. We don’t have any time to waste in addressing the issues that confront us, so we’re going to continue to negotiate with Republican leaders who may be interested in reaching a bipartisan agreement.” | “Rather than going to the White House for a show meeting that won’t result in an agreement, we’ve asked Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan to meet this afternoon. We don’t have any time to waste in addressing the issues that confront us, so we’re going to continue to negotiate with Republican leaders who may be interested in reaching a bipartisan agreement.” |
| Just a few months ago, Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi seemed to be forging a fruitful partnership with Mr. Trump, who refers to them as “Chuck and Nancy.” In September, the president sided with them to strike a fiscal deal that raised the debt limit and extended government funding into December. | |
| Now, lawmakers are facing another pressing fiscal deadline, as government funding expires Dec. 8. Republican leaders in Congress will need Democratic votes in order to keep the government open beyond that date. Mr. Trump’s tweet follows similar comments about the minority party yesterday, when he said he didn’t need Democrats to support the tax bill moving through Congress. | |
| Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, accused Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer of “pettiness” in declining to attend this afternoon’s meeting. | |
| “It’s disappointing that Senator Schumer and Leader Pelosi are refusing to come to the table and discuss urgent issues,” she said in a statement. “The President’s invitation to the Democrat leaders still stands and he encourages them to put aside their pettiness, stop the political grandstanding, show up and get to work. These issues are too important.” | |
| Mr. Schumer, speaking on the Senate floor, pounded on Republicans and Mr. Trump for blocking Democrats from participating in the tax overhaul as well as the legislation, saying it will help the rich and corporations instead of the middle class. | |
| “Bipartisanship and compromise, Mr. President, are possible on tax reform. It’s an issue crying out for a bipartisan solution. There are a lot of areas we agree. We have to work to find a middle ground that is acceptable to both parties,” Mr. Schumer said. The bill as it stands, he said, would balloon the debt and help hedge funds and lobbyists but not average Americans. | |
| Republican senators returned on Monday from the Thanksgiving recess, and one big question loomed as they continued to talk taxes. | Republican senators returned on Monday from the Thanksgiving recess, and one big question loomed as they continued to talk taxes. |
| Will party leaders be able to come up with 50 votes? | Will party leaders be able to come up with 50 votes? |
| Senate Republicans will attempt once again to approve major legislation using procedures that would allow for passage without any Democratic votes. Their leadership could never reach that 50-vote threshold as they tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act earlier this year. Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate, and they can afford to lose no more than two of their members’ votes, assuming Democrats are unified in opposition and Vice President Mike Pence provides the tiebreaking vote. | Senate Republicans will attempt once again to approve major legislation using procedures that would allow for passage without any Democratic votes. Their leadership could never reach that 50-vote threshold as they tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act earlier this year. Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate, and they can afford to lose no more than two of their members’ votes, assuming Democrats are unified in opposition and Vice President Mike Pence provides the tiebreaking vote. |
| By Monday night, it was clear that party leaders still had work to do. At least a half-dozen Republican senators have expressed concerns about the tax overhaul. | By Monday night, it was clear that party leaders still had work to do. At least a half-dozen Republican senators have expressed concerns about the tax overhaul. |
| Mr. Trump is headed to Capitol Hill midday to drum up support for the bill. But early on Tuesday morning, the president was focused on his frustration with the National Football League and players’ civil rights protests. | Mr. Trump is headed to Capitol Hill midday to drum up support for the bill. But early on Tuesday morning, the president was focused on his frustration with the National Football League and players’ civil rights protests. |
| “At least 24 players kneeling this weekend at NFL stadiums that are now having a very hard time filling up,” he wrote. “The American public is fed up with the disrespect the NFL is paying to our Country, our Flag and our National Anthem. Weak and out of control!” | “At least 24 players kneeling this weekend at NFL stadiums that are now having a very hard time filling up,” he wrote. “The American public is fed up with the disrespect the NFL is paying to our Country, our Flag and our National Anthem. Weak and out of control!” |
| The Senate Budget Committee is scheduled to meet at 2:30 p.m. for what is supposed to be a procedural step. | The Senate Budget Committee is scheduled to meet at 2:30 p.m. for what is supposed to be a procedural step. |
| The panel is to approve the Senate’s tax rewrite, which will actually consist of two pieces of legislation melded together: the tax overhaul and a separate measure that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling. | The panel is to approve the Senate’s tax rewrite, which will actually consist of two pieces of legislation melded together: the tax overhaul and a separate measure that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling. |
| But the vote could hold some suspense. Republicans have only a one-seat majority on the panel, so they cannot afford to lose any of their members. But two Republicans who have expressed concerns about the tax rewrite, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, happen to sit on the Budget Committee. | But the vote could hold some suspense. Republicans have only a one-seat majority on the panel, so they cannot afford to lose any of their members. But two Republicans who have expressed concerns about the tax rewrite, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, happen to sit on the Budget Committee. |
| On Monday, both Mr. Corker and Mr. Johnson said they could oppose the bill in the Budget Committee if their concerns were not addressed. | On Monday, both Mr. Corker and Mr. Johnson said they could oppose the bill in the Budget Committee if their concerns were not addressed. |
| The Senate Finance Committee, which passed the tax overhaul two weeks ago, also provided some fireworks when its chairman, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, got into a shouting match with Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a Democrat. When the Budget Committee meets, Democrats will have another chance to criticize the bill as a gift to businesses and the wealthy. | The Senate Finance Committee, which passed the tax overhaul two weeks ago, also provided some fireworks when its chairman, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, got into a shouting match with Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a Democrat. When the Budget Committee meets, Democrats will have another chance to criticize the bill as a gift to businesses and the wealthy. |
| Mr. Corker, an outspoken deficit hawk, is worried that the tax overhaul will end up adding to the federal debt if the economic growth projections floated by the administration don’t materialize and the government has to borrow additional money to pay for the tax cuts. To safeguard against that, he wants some kind of mechanism to be added to the legislation that would kick in if projected economic growth from the tax rewrite does not end up materializing. | Mr. Corker, an outspoken deficit hawk, is worried that the tax overhaul will end up adding to the federal debt if the economic growth projections floated by the administration don’t materialize and the government has to borrow additional money to pay for the tax cuts. To safeguard against that, he wants some kind of mechanism to be added to the legislation that would kick in if projected economic growth from the tax rewrite does not end up materializing. |
| Those projections “are all sort of made up, if you will,” Mr. Corker said on Fox News on Tuesday. | Those projections “are all sort of made up, if you will,” Mr. Corker said on Fox News on Tuesday. |
| Mr. Corker, who is not seeking re-election next year, said the issue needed to be resolved before the vote in the Budget Committee this afternoon. | Mr. Corker, who is not seeking re-election next year, said the issue needed to be resolved before the vote in the Budget Committee this afternoon. |
| “What I don’t want to do is lose my integrity and actually help hurt our nation and our children when we have $20 trillion in debt,” Mr. Corker said. “I don’t want to on the way out the door support something that I know is going to damage our nation.” | “What I don’t want to do is lose my integrity and actually help hurt our nation and our children when we have $20 trillion in debt,” Mr. Corker said. “I don’t want to on the way out the door support something that I know is going to damage our nation.” |
| If the Budget Committee approves the bill, it will be up to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, to decide when to move toward a full Senate vote. | If the Budget Committee approves the bill, it will be up to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, to decide when to move toward a full Senate vote. |
| First, the Senate would hold a vote to begin debating the tax overhaul. This is a procedural step, and the vote could take place around midweek. | First, the Senate would hold a vote to begin debating the tax overhaul. This is a procedural step, and the vote could take place around midweek. |
| Under the special budget rules that Republicans are using to shield their bill from a Democratic filibuster, debate on the measure is limited to 20 hours. After that, senators will endure an exhausting ritual known as a vote-a-rama — essentially, a marathon of votes on amendments. | Under the special budget rules that Republicans are using to shield their bill from a Democratic filibuster, debate on the measure is limited to 20 hours. After that, senators will endure an exhausting ritual known as a vote-a-rama — essentially, a marathon of votes on amendments. |
| It remains to be seen how the bill could be amended while the full Senate considers it, and whether Republicans with concerns about the tax rewrite will be won over by changes that are made. | It remains to be seen how the bill could be amended while the full Senate considers it, and whether Republicans with concerns about the tax rewrite will be won over by changes that are made. |
| Eventually — perhaps late this week — the full Senate would vote on whether to approve the tax overhaul. | Eventually — perhaps late this week — the full Senate would vote on whether to approve the tax overhaul. |
| The House approved its own tax rewrite, which differs in big ways from the Senate plan, on Nov. 16. If the Senate approves its own version, the two chambers will have to iron out the differences between the two plans. | The House approved its own tax rewrite, which differs in big ways from the Senate plan, on Nov. 16. If the Senate approves its own version, the two chambers will have to iron out the differences between the two plans. |
| But it is possible that changes could be made to the Senate bill this week with an eye toward winning over House Republicans. House members could then be asked to give their approval to the Senate plan so that the process could be sped up. | But it is possible that changes could be made to the Senate bill this week with an eye toward winning over House Republicans. House members could then be asked to give their approval to the Senate plan so that the process could be sped up. |