The House and Senate are "on the same page" heading into discussions on tax reform, Rep. Sean Duffy said Friday, pointing to the House's close vote to pass a GOP budget.
"The House passes bills and usually the Senate that fumbles," the Wisconsin Republican told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "Yesterday now both teams are on the same page and passed a budget. That's the pathway and vehicle that brings us towards tax reform."
Meanwhile, the "Fox & Friends" program itself got kudos from President Donald Trump on Twitter for its coverage of the tax reform issue and other matters Friday. The tweet was posted at about 7 a.m. EST, about halfway through the program.
Show co-host Steve Doocy noted that the intent for the upcoming tax reform is to keep it as a middle class tax cut and simplification. However, it also includes issues for states that have high state and local taxes. Under current law, tax filers who itemize their deductions can write off their property taxes, along with their state and local income taxes and general sales taxes, but the tax reform plan coming under consideration will eliminate that tax break.
Doocy noted that there are not many Republican senators from high tax states such as California, New Jersey, or New York, but there are several GOP representatives from those states.
"This tax package has to be revenue neutral," said Duffy. "This is the largest part of our revenue — $1.2 trillion to $1.3 trillion is not allowing people to write off state and local taxes."
The Ways and Means team is trying to work out a compromise in hopes of not letting that part of the tax reform affect middle income folks, but instead charge a bit more for people with higher incomes.
"That's not done yet," Duffy said. "That's the big wrinkle that we have moving forward. Can we fix that and get those Republican members on board? And, if we do, this thing is going to sail and grow the economy and help our middle income families out in the country."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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