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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 13 december 2017

Franken back at Senate job despite soon-to-be-gone status

conduct and in the face ter I’m gone,” Franken said, ond thoughts about forc-
of vanishing support from his sole reference to his im- ing him out so quickly, es-
fellow Democrats. Fran- pending departure. “I urge pecially as allegations of
ken was back at work this them to do so in an expedi- sexual misconduct against
week, casting votes in the ent and bipartisan manner. President Donald Trump
Senate, participating in a Patients, especially those in remain unresolved and Re-
committee hearing and at- Minnesota, need relief.” publican Roy Moore seeks
tending a senator-only lun- As Franken left the hearing, a Senate seat from Ala-
cheon with Democrats. he bumped into a group of bama despite accusations
Franken listened intently high school students who that he molested teenag-
Tuesday as an expert panel were waiting to take a ers decades ago. Moore
talked about the high cost photo with him. The group and Trump have both de-
of prescription drugs. He put from Herndon, Virginia, nied the allegations.
his hand on his forehead High School had taken a Zephyr Teachout, a Demo-
and grimaced as speakers photo with Franken a few crat who ran for governor
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who said last week he’ll step down decried the price of life- weeks earlier, but one of of New York, said in an op-
in the coming weeks due to mounting allegations of sexual saving medicines. Given a the students was absent, ed in the New York Times
misconduct, attends a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, chance to ask questions, so teacher Meghann Jones that she was left with a
Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington,
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. Franken spoke about his brought them back to the sense of that “something
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) work with Republican Sen. Capitol. went wrong” when Fran-
By MATTHEW DALY soon-to-be-gone status. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to Students joked that they ken announced he was
Associated Press The two-term Minnesota allow the government to were stalking Franken, who stepping down.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Al lawmaker told a somber negotiate lower drug pric- patiently shook their hands “Zero tolerance (of sexual
Franken is the Senate’s Senate last Thursday he es under Medicare. and posed for a group misconduct) should go
dead man walking, still do- would resign amid multiple “My colleagues will have to photo. Franken declined to hand in hand with two oth-
ing his day job despite his allegations of sexual mis- carry forward this work af- comment to a reporter. er things: due process and
“He was very nice and re- proportionality,” Teachout
spectful to us,” said senior wrote. “Both were missing
Reed Golomb, 17, who in the hasty call for Senator
called Franken “Minnesota Franken’s resignation.”
nice.” Due process “means a fair,
Franken has not said ex- full investigation, with a
actly when he will leave chance for the accused to
the Senate, although his respond,” Teachout wrote.
departure seems certain. Even some Republicans
Even so, some Democrats questioned Franken’s
have begun to have sec- ouster.q

Tax package would lower top

tax rate for wealthy Americans

By S. OHLEMACHER 21 percent, said two con-
Associated Press gressional aides who spoke
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- on condition of anonymity
gressional Republicans on because they were not au-
Tuesday rushed toward thorized to publicly discuss
a deal on a massive tax private negotiations. Both
package that would re- the House bill and the Sen-
duce the top tax rate for ate bill would have lowered
wealthy Americans to 37 the corporate rate from 35
percent and slash the percent to 20 percent.
corporate rate to a level Business and conservative
slightly higher than what groups lobbied hard for
businesses and conserva- the 20 percent corporate
tives wanted. In a flurry of rate. Negotiators agreed
last-minute changes that to bump it up to 21 percent
could profoundly affect to help offset revenue loss-
the pocketbooks of mil- es from other tax breaks,
lions of Americans, House the aides said. As the final
and Senate negotiators parameters of the bill took
agreed to expand a de- shape, negotiators agreed
duction for state and local to cut the top tax rate for in-
taxes to allow individuals dividuals from 39.6 percent
to deduct income taxes as to 37 percent in a windfall
well as property taxes. The for the richest Americans.
deduction is valuable to The reduction is certain to
residents in high-tax states provide ammunition for
like New York, New Jersey Democrats who complain
and California. Negotiators that the tax package is a
also agreed to set the cor- massive giveaway to cor-
porate income tax rate at porations and the rich.q