It's déjà vu all over again for Senate Republicans who are staring down a vote this week on tax reform legislation that does not yet have enough support needed to pass, Politico reports.
Much like healthcare, which ended in impasse over the summer, President Donald Trump is amped and breathing down their necks on what would be his first major legislative victory.
Trump first tweeted about tax reform Sunday night after returning from Thanksgiving break, and he plans to head to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to cajole Republicans into getting it passed.
Further, they have a narrow window to get it done, and House Republicans — again, like healthcare — have already passed their bill.
In other words — no pressure.
"For every Republican senator, the fate of the party is in our hands, as well as that of the economy," Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN on Sunday.
And with a narrow 52-50 edge in the Senate, Republicans still have work to do to win over one outspoken "no" vote as well as a few others who have varying levels of reservations about the bill:
- Sen. Ron Johnson — no. Beef: Small businesses.
- Sen. Steve Daines — maybe. Beef: Small businesses.
- Sen. Bob Corker — maybe. Beef: Deficit implications.
- Sen. Jeff Flake — maybe. Beef: Deficit implications.
- Sen. James Lankford — maybe. Beef: Deficit implications.
- Sen. Susan Collins — maybe. Beef: Individual mandate.
- Sen. Jerry Moran - maybe. Beef: Individual mandate.
- Sen. Pete King — maybe. Beef: SALT deductions.
- Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski — perennial maybes.
So again, much like healthcare, Senate leadership is mulling 11th-hour tweaks that can ensure passage.
Voting is expected to begin Tuesday in the Senate Budget Committee, on which both Corker and Johnson sit.
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