Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee look over amendments during the markup of Senate's fiscal year 2018 budget resolution, Photo: AP
The Senate Budget Committee has voted to advance the Senate tax bill by a 12-11 margin, with only Republicans voting in favor. GOP leadership hopes to bring the bill up for a vote before the full Senate by the end of the week.
Why it matters: The 12-11 vote was just a procedural move, but it was a critical hurdle given that some Republicans had expressed concerns about the bill. Two Republicans who had been holding out, Bob Corker and Ron Johnson, both voted "yes.”
Yes, but: Johnson spokesman Ben Voekel said the senator's support was only a vote for "moving the process forward."