WATCH: Republican won’t commit until she sees more details on Trump’s tax reform
A moderate Republican senator could be the vote that stands between President Trump and a much-needed legislative win on tax reform.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said this week that she needs to see more than an outline on tax reform legislation before she commits to supporting it.
“Until I see the specifics of the bill obviously I’m not going to take a position on it,” she told The Hill.
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The Maine Republican – who recently ruled out a gubernatorial bid – stressed her “support for tax reform,” but said details matter.
“I’ve had one conversation with an administration official but understandably, they’re focusing on Finance Committee members,” she said when asked if leaders have sought her feedback.
GOP leaders recently warned lawmakers that the Christmas recess may be canceled if Congress fails to move a tax reform measure by the holidays.
“If we need to, we need to,” the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn (R-Texas), responded when asked if the upper chamber will be working through Christmas.
“That would be ridiculous,” Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) said when asked about being forced to spend Christmas in Washington, D.C. “I mean, c’mon. It’s been a year since the election. We ought to have our tax reform proposal on the floor right now voting on it.”
The reality of voting on or near the end-of-year holidays did not phase longtime Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
“The more difficult things become, the longer we stay around Christmas time, that’s sort of the rule,” Feinstein said.
The head of a small business group that has led the charge for Trump’s tax cut plan urged Collins to vote for the legislation, arguing that its benefit for Maine voters is significant.
“Nearly 97 percent of all employers in Maine are small businesses and they would directly benefit from a tax cut,” Alfredo Ortiz, head of the Job Creators Network, said Saturday.
“As President Kennedy once said, ‘the purpose of cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the more prosperous expanding economy which can bring a budget surplus,'” he added.
Watch the video above to hear the senators in their own words.
– This report was updated Oct. 21 at 12 p.m.
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