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WATCH: Dems open to tax reform deal

September 15, 2017

GOP and Democratic reps believe President Trump when he says his intention is to move tax reform soon, in a bipartisan fashion, according to lawmakers who spoke to The Hill.

"I'm ready to work with the Republicans on anything that makes sense … We do have one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world but I think also we need to find ways that will give relief to the middle class and working class," Rep. Vicente González (D-Texas) told The Hill shortly after meeting with bipartisan groups of lawmakers at the White House this week to discuss tax reform.

Trump's deal last week deal to lift the debt ceiling coupled with hurricane relief is a signal to the GOP to "get it done" or else the president will "reach across the aisle" to do it, Ways and Means Committee Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) told The Hill.

"It may not be what you want, but it's going to get done," Kelly warned his colleagues.

California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell says he's working with GOP Rep. Chris Collins (N.Y.) for inclusion of their bill, "The Main Street Revival Act," in a final tax deal.

The act "says if you go into a distressed community and you invest and create jobs you can defer your payroll taxes for the first three years," Swalwell explained.

Some Republicans predict the House will send a tax package to the Senate by Thanksgiving, but won't speak for timing in the upper chamber.

"In the House we've been bamboozled before thinking that we had some kind of agreement only to be surprised later on that it didn't hold up," Republican Study Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) told The Hill, adding, "I'm very confident we can have something ready to go by early November, but definitely by Thanksgiving."

Still, Budget Committee member Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) wants to see the details of a plan.

"We are all itching to vote for tax plan, right? We got a face plant on ObamaCare — don't want that again. We want total winner … But the problem is Ways and Means members still don't even know what that is — what is the tax package?" Brat, a leading voice in the House Freedom Caucus, said to reporters.

Even Kelly, who sits on the tax writing committee, says the blue print has been out for a year but the actual text is yet to be seen.

"Until we get the actual text it's really hard to move forward with it," Kelly said.

Issues:Economy