It’s now being reported that Marco Rubio is a big fat NO on tax reform unless he can get more refundability on the child tax credit:
MORE BREAKING: Rubio is now a NO on the tax bill unless Child Tax Credit is expanded. Lee is now an undecided. Hatch concerned.https://t.co/qVROTHnqqK
— Damian Paletta (@damianpaletta) December 14, 2017
Here’s what his spokesperson told the media:
Rubio spox Olivia Perez Cubas: “Senator Rubio has consistently communicated to the Senate tax negotiators that his vote on final passage would depend on whether the refundability of the Child Tax Credit was increased in a meaningful way.”
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 14, 2017
On Sen. Rubio's opposition to tax bill over concerns about the child tax credit, @PressSec says, "We think we've made great strides and frankly pretty historic movement in terms of the child tax credit...We're going to keep working with him." pic.twitter.com/6Jq8Pc8z8l
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) December 14, 2017
As was stated above, it’s also being reported that Mike Lee is undecided on the very same issue:
Spokesperson for Sen. Mike Lee, who co-authored Rubio's child tax credit amendment, tells me he is undecided on the final bill. https://t.co/2Xu0twxuXx pic.twitter.com/fI2Fiy6Vj9
— Bob Bryan (@RobertBryan4) December 14, 2017
But apparently there is a deal in the works to get Rubio and Lee, according to Lee:
Note Mike Lee said last night that an increase in refundability was already in the works.
— Joseph Lawler (@josephlawler) December 14, 2017
GOP whip Cornyn just now, via @susanferrechio:
“We are working with him,” re: Rubio. "I think he’ll be satisfied.”
DC EXAMINER – Republicans will make the doubled child tax credit in their tax bill partly refundable against payroll taxes, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said Wednesday evening, meaning that the tax break will be available to many more low-income families.
The Senate-passed version of the tax bill would have increased the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000, but would have limited the benefit for lower-income people by not similarly increasing the portion that would be refundable. Thus taxpayers would get money back from the government even if they didn’t have income tax liability.
Lee said in a Wednesday evening Facebook Live event with constituents that in the final joint House-Senate bill being negotiated “a significant portion, we don’t yet know for sure how much of that, will be refundable up to the total amount of taxes paid, including payroll taxes.”
In related news, it looks like anti-Trump Corker is still a no:
Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was the only GOP nay on the original version of the tax bill. He tells me he has not made up his mind on the conference report for tax reform and won’t do so until he sees the final version.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 14, 2017
With all this drama, it’s no wonder that Mike Pence today delayed his trip to the Middle East. If they can’t get these issues resolved, they may very well need his vote to pass tax reform.