The Latest: GOP ponders tax overhaul's effect on deficit
The Latest on Republican efforts to overhaul taxes (all times local):
4:15 p.m.
Senate Republicans are struggling with how many billions of dollars President Donald Trump's tax code overhaul will add to the deficit as they work on a GOP budget plan that's a prerequisite to any far-reaching change in the nation's tax system.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP members of the Budget Committee met Tuesday with Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. They are hoping to make progress on forging the budget plan, which is required to stave off potential Democratic blocking tactics and pass the subsequent tax bill only with GOP votes.
Mnuchin says, "Passing tax reform, which hasn't been done in 31 years, that is a win."
The as-yet-undrafted bill to overhaul the tax code is the top priority for Trump and Republicans.
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9:51 a.m.
The White House says it will soon release legislative priorities for its plans to overhaul the nation's tax system and to address hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children.
White House legislative director Marc Short says its principles for the tax overhaul will be released "in a matter of days, not weeks." President Donald Trump has been pushing for changes to the tax code to cut corporate and individual rates and simplify the system.
Trump is rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, but giving Congress six months to address the issue. Short says the White House will be putting out its priorities for the program in the next couple of weeks. Short spoke at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast.
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9:31 a.m.
Three moderate Democrats are among a bipartisan group of lawmakers having dinner with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
A key topic of discussion is Trump's push for Congress to send him a bill to cut taxes for corporations and individuals.
The White House says Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana will be joined at dinner by Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The Democrats hail from states Trump won in November, and the White House is interested in getting their support for a tax bill.
Heitkamp traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One last week when he spoke broadly about the tax plan in her home state of North Dakota.
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3:35 a.m.
The Senate Republican leader and members of the Budget Committee are scrambling to come up with a budget deal to clear the way for the first tax overhaul in three decades.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP committee members are meeting Tuesday with President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Under Washington's complicated ways, passing a congressional budget blueprint is the only way to set in motion a special process for rewriting the tax code. If Congress can pass a budget, Republicans controlling the Senate don't need to worry about a Democratic filibuster blocking any tax bill.
House action has been held up by a battle between moderates and conservatives over whether to pair spending cuts with the filibuster-proof tax measure.