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| House passes Republican tax overhaul branded 'the worst bill in history' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| House Republicans approved the most sweeping rewrite of the US tax code in a generation, sending the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to pass later on Tuesday. | House Republicans approved the most sweeping rewrite of the US tax code in a generation, sending the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to pass later on Tuesday. |
| The House passed the bill 227 to 203, with 12 Republicans voting against the plan and no Democrats supporting it. Final passage or the measure will mark the first major legislative success for Trump since taking office. | |
| Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, said the Senate would vote on the tax package on Tuesday evening, sending the bill to Trump in time to deliver what he has promised would be a “big, beautiful Christmas present” for the nation. | Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, said the Senate would vote on the tax package on Tuesday evening, sending the bill to Trump in time to deliver what he has promised would be a “big, beautiful Christmas present” for the nation. |
| After the vote, Trump praised House Republican leadership for delivering the $1.5tn tax cut plan. | |
| Congratulations to Paul Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, Kevin Brady, Steve Scalise, Cathy McMorris Rodgers and all great House Republicans who voted in favor of cutting your taxes! | |
| The tax plan enacts a deep and permanent cut for corporations, slashing the top rate from 35% to 21%. The bill also includes tax cuts for individuals and families of all income levels, with the largest breaks going to the wealthiest Americans. The individual tax cuts are slated to expire in 2025, a move to comply with Senate budget rules, but Republicans said a future Congress would extend them. | |
| “This is one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress has passed in decades to help the American worker to help grow the American economy,” ,” Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, said moments after the bill passed. “This is profound change and this is change that is going to put our country on the right path.” | |
| Congressman Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, added: “Today the impossible became the inevitable again.” | |
| Democrats were excluded from the closed-door sessions where the plan was crafted. They have condemned the measure as a handout to the wealthy and corporations, and promised to use it as a cudgel against Republicans in the 2018 midterms. | |
| Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi went so far as it call it “the worst bill in history” in a press conference Tuesday. She describe it as “an all-out looting of America, a wholesale robbery of the middle class” and said: “The GOP tax scam will go down, again, as one of the worst, most scandalous acts of plutocracy in our history.” | |
| The GOP tax scam will go down, again, as one of the worst, most scandalous acts of plutocracy in our history | |
| Republicans have long pushed tax reform as a way to simplify the US tax code, but the proposal would keep all seven existing tax brackets for individuals. The bill has faced significant criticism because it would limit tax deductions for home mortgages and state and local taxes, as well as adding over a trillion dollars to the budget deficit. | Republicans have long pushed tax reform as a way to simplify the US tax code, but the proposal would keep all seven existing tax brackets for individuals. The bill has faced significant criticism because it would limit tax deductions for home mortgages and state and local taxes, as well as adding over a trillion dollars to the budget deficit. |
| The bill would not only reshape tax policy in the United States. It also contains provisions to allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic national wildlife refuge, and would eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, which requires Americans to either buy health insurance or pay a penalty. | The bill would not only reshape tax policy in the United States. It also contains provisions to allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic national wildlife refuge, and would eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, which requires Americans to either buy health insurance or pay a penalty. |
| Despite being heralded by Republicans and the White House as a major accomplishment, the bill is deeply unpopular. A CNN poll released earlier on Tuesday found that 55% of voters had a unfavorable view of the plan and only 33% view it favorably. | Despite being heralded by Republicans and the White House as a major accomplishment, the bill is deeply unpopular. A CNN poll released earlier on Tuesday found that 55% of voters had a unfavorable view of the plan and only 33% view it favorably. |
| Ryan dismissed criticism of the bill, saying “results are what’s going to make this popular”. | |
| He said at the weekly Republican leadership press conference on Tuesday morning: “When we get this done, when people see their withholding [estimated tax] improving, when they see jobs occurring, when they see bigger paychecks, a fairer tax system, a simpler tax code, that’s what’s going to produce the results.” | He said at the weekly Republican leadership press conference on Tuesday morning: “When we get this done, when people see their withholding [estimated tax] improving, when they see jobs occurring, when they see bigger paychecks, a fairer tax system, a simpler tax code, that’s what’s going to produce the results.” |
| Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress but have so far failed to achieve a major legislative victory, relished the moment hours before the vote was scheduled on Tuesday. | Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress but have so far failed to achieve a major legislative victory, relished the moment hours before the vote was scheduled on Tuesday. |
| “Did you ever believe we would be here on this day?” the House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, asked, grinning. | “Did you ever believe we would be here on this day?” the House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, asked, grinning. |
| The vote was marred by repeated interruptions from protesters in the gallery. As protesters shouted slogans like “Kill the bill,” Democratic lawmakers cheered, and at least one Republican shouted back: “Throw her ass out.” | The vote was marred by repeated interruptions from protesters in the gallery. As protesters shouted slogans like “Kill the bill,” Democratic lawmakers cheered, and at least one Republican shouted back: “Throw her ass out.” |
| After final passage, Ryan loudly gaveled the vote to a close while receiving a standing ovation from House Republicans. Ryan has long pushed for cutting taxes and reforming the tax code and the vote on Tuesday was seen as a defining achievement for him. | After final passage, Ryan loudly gaveled the vote to a close while receiving a standing ovation from House Republicans. Ryan has long pushed for cutting taxes and reforming the tax code and the vote on Tuesday was seen as a defining achievement for him. |
| Congress, meanwhile, is running up against a Friday deadline to fund the federal government. A sticking point over funding Obamacare payments – a promise made to secure Maine senator Susan Collins’ vote on tax reform – risks a potential revolt by House conservatives and a possible government shutdown. | Congress, meanwhile, is running up against a Friday deadline to fund the federal government. A sticking point over funding Obamacare payments – a promise made to secure Maine senator Susan Collins’ vote on tax reform – risks a potential revolt by House conservatives and a possible government shutdown. |