Grover Norquist, anti-tax advocate and head of Americans for Tax Reform, said Thursday he would rather Congress pass a bipartisan deal expanding the child tax credit, while also reviving some business tax breaks, than not pass it all amid opposition from Senate Republicans.
Norquist was pressed about the ongoing pushback to the legislative deal while speaking at a tax event led by himself and House Republicans that was partly focused on IRS oversight.
The advocate said he shared similar hopes to those of some Republicans in the Senate for changes to the bill while noting a previous conversation he shared with Sen. Mike Crapo (Idaho), top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee and a key negotiator in talks.
Republicans say they’re seeking modifications aimed at protecting work requirements for the child tax credit.
“He had a list of things. I wish we’d had these things too for it,” he said. “And several of them, you know, with the child tax credit … I share his view. I’d rather have that in the bill than not have it in the bill. But I’d rather have the bill as is or modestly reformed than not have it.”
He also joined a group of advocates that signed onto a letter to senators earlier this week expressing support for the bill, also dubbed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.
“Passing this pro-growth tax relief package will strengthen American competitiveness vis-a-vis China, lead to more jobs, higher wages for workers, and encourage new investment and innovation for American business,” the letter stated.
Among the provisions included in the bill, which passed the GOP-led House earlier this year, are measures to temporarily beef up the child tax credit and restore some business deductions.
Norquist’s comments come as senators have struggled to move the bill in the face of Republican concerns about language in the bill that would expand the child tax credit.
“I’ve shared with the Trump people that I think this is the world saying, ‘Here’s several pieces of the Trump Republican tax cut, and we say they’re so important that on a bipartisan basis, we should keep them going.’ Take that as a compliment. Take that as, ‘You are right,’” Norquist said.
“They used to say the whole thing was flawed, and now they’re going, ‘No, it’s not all flawed. We love this bit, and that bit is not unimportant and was a good idea and is a good idea.’”