Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kent.) is walking tall after telling reporters that he thinks Republican have the votes to pass their tax reform bill.
NPR reported that the news came after Senate Republicans discussed final changes to the bill in a closed-door meeting.
Positive signs that the bill might actually pass through the Senate arguably began yesterday, as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) threw his support to the Senate Majority Leader's latest tax bill.
McCain’s approval seemingly sparked a revival of favor for the bill with holdouts such as Sen.
Susan Collins (R-Maine) agreeing to support the bill after Republicans agreed to include her tax deduction amendments within the bill’s language.
The Senate tax bill will include my SALT amendment to allow taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 for state and local property taxes.
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) December 1, 2017
Delighted that the Senate has agreed to include my property tax deduction amendment, that will allow 166,000 Maine taxpayers who itemize to deduct a total of $725 million in property taxes each year. #MEPolitics
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) December 1, 2017
Another holdout, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), also agreed to support the tax bill because he got to throw his demands into the bill, as well. Flake recently announced that he will resign his Arizona Senate seat next year.
I will support #TaxReform bill after securing language to eliminate an $85 billion budget gimmick as well as commitment from the administration & #Senate leadership to advance growth-oriented legislative solution to enact fair & permanent protections for #DACA recipients pic.twitter.com/MGbWX7JrPq
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) December 1, 2017
As vigor is restored to the latest tax reform proposal, McConnell’s Senate Republicans are poised for a major legislative victory before the end of the year.
(Cover Photo: Gage Skidmore)