GOP leaders plan to finalize tax bill behind closed doors
WASHINGTON — The White House plans to privately negotiate a massive overhaul of the tax system with Republican leaders in Congress, possibly giving rank-and-file members little if any say over the finished product, a top aide to President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
Gary Cohn, Trump’s top economic aide, said the administration doesn’t want to engage in prolonged negotiations after the package is made public this fall. Cohn said the goal is to release the overhaul in the first two weeks of September.
“We don’t want to be negotiating the tax bill on the floor,” Cohn said at a meeting of technology executives.
This type of top-down approach has a sketchy record on Capitol Hill, especially on issues as difficult to manoeuvr as the first remake of the nation’s tax code in 31 years. Earlier this year, House members balked when Trump officials demanded that they vote on a bill to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health law.