Trump meeting GOP senators at White House for next steps on taxes
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Senate GOP leaders and Finance committee members will meet with President Trump at the White House on Thursday to make their case on how to make his 2017 tax cuts permanent, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The Senate and the House need to get on the same page to start moving on their biggest legislative priority of the year. Trump will be key to making that happen.
- Senate leadership had been hoping to delay the tax fight to later in the year and focus on a bill with border, defense and energy policies first.
- But they've been forced to work with a massive budget resolution the House passed last month.
- To start, they want to make Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent and with an official cost of $0. Trump has also called for permanence.
Zoom in: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and others on the committee will meet with Trump at the White House on Thursday, according to three sources familiar.
- The committee has already started meeting to figure out the path forward for using reconciliation to pass border, defense, energy and tax priorities without needing Democratic votes.
- Senators had been pushing a two-bill strategy, arguing it would give Trump border money faster.
- But Trump sided with the House's idea of doing everything in "one, big beautiful bill."
Between the lines: Congressional leaders in both chambers have proven deferential to Trump's wishes. What he has to say to Senate Republicans tomorrow could have a big impact on the process.
- Trump has also repeatedly stepped in to pressure Republicans in both chambers who are hesitant to back important bills.
- Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) both sit on the Finance committee, and have been skeptical about the idea of using a calculator maneuver to avoid having to find pay-fors to cover the extended tax cuts.
What to watch: Both Trump and his border czar Tom Homan in recent weeks have indicated they want — and need — more border money ASAP.
- That was the whole reason Thune had been pushing to split up reconciliation into two bills.
- Trump said he wants border funds "without delay." That's the Senate plan, but Trump sided with the House plan instead.
- Thune told Axios last week "what we were trying to get done here, seems like what [Trump is] asking for."
