Brady appears to rule out lame-duck action on Trump tax cut

The chairman of the House tax-writing panel on Friday appeared to rule out taking action on President Trump’s proposed middle-class tax cut until next year.

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) said a 10-percent cut for middle-income Americans would be a priority for Republicans if they retain their majorities in Congress. 

“We expect to advance this in the new session of Congress if Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate,” Brady, who leads the House Ways and Means Committee, said during an interview with CNBC. 

{mosads}The comments are an acknowledgment that lawmakers have all but decided not to take action on the tax plan in the lame-duck session of Congress, despite Trump’s wishes. 

When asked Monday about his tax plan, Trump told reporters that “we’ll do the vote after the election.” 

Trump’s decision to float the middle-class tax cut last weekend at a campaign rally confused aides at the White House and on Capitol Hill, who appeared to be unaware of such a plan. 

But Brady said he has been working “closely” with Trump for “several months” on a plan to cut taxes for the middle-class. 

“I wish the media would call once in a while to ask about these things,” he said. “So, yes, the president has been having these discussions. He’s really focused on the middle class. We’ve been working with the White House and with Treasury on some ideas of how best to do it.”

Capitol Hill staff initially referred questions to the White House after Trump announced his plan. Brady’s office on Tuesday announced it was on board, saying in a statement his committee would work with the White House on a 10-percent tax cut for the middle class.  

Trump’s newest proposal is an apparent attempt to blunt criticism of the GOP tax law, which Democrats and others have said was too heavily dependent on corporate tax relief.  

The tax plan is Trump’s top legislative achievement but has not boosted Republican prospects in the November midterm elections as much as the party hoped. 

White House aides, however, have sought to temper expectations for quick passage of a second round of tax cuts.

“It may not surface for a while. But that’s his goal,” Trump’s top economic advisor, Larry Kudlow, told reporters this week.