Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Thursday 21 december 2017

Trump celebrates after Congress wraps up massive tax package

Continued from Front minor provisions violated
Actually, Trump’s cuts are Senate rules, forcing law-
nowhere near the largest in makers to strip them out.
U.S. history House Republicans had
The vote was 224-201 and passed the bill Tuesday with
came hours after the Sen- all voting Democrats in op-
ate’s early morning pas- position.
sage along party-lines. Because of the language
Republicans cheered the Senate removed, the
when the vote tally hit the House had to revisit the
magic number for pas- measure Wednesday be-
sage, and again when the cause each chamber must
final vote was announced. approve identical legisla-
One Democrat yelled, “Do tion before it can be signed
over!” into law.
It is the first major overhaul “People have been hit by
of the nation’s tax laws the media and the Demo-
since 1986. crats on their TV screen
On Twitter and in White that everyone is getting a
House remarks, Trump President Donald Trump speaks during a bill passage event on the South Lawn of the White House big tax increase, and that’s
hailed the outcome, his in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, to acknowledge the final passage of tax overhaul just not the case,” Ryan
own efforts and the work legislation by Congress. said Wednesday on ABC’s
of GOP allies, including (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) “Good Morning America.”
Majority Leader Mitch Mc- congressional majorities in end of Pennsylvania Ave- midnight vote Wednesday Starting next year, families
Connell of Kentucky, who next year’s midterm elec- nue, Rep. Richard Neal, D- morning to approve the making between $50,000
had drawn the president’s tions. But one comment by Mass., jumped on Trump’s measure on a party-line and $75,000 will get aver-
wrath for the Senate’s in- Trump could complicate remarks, calling it proof 51-48 tally. Senate Majority age tax cuts of $890, ac-
ability this past summer to their messaging. that Republicans were Leader Mitch McConnell, cording to an analysis by
dismantle the health care In praising the bill, Trump never interested in passing R-Ky., insisted Americans the nonpartisan Tax Policy
law. cited the deep cut in the meaningful tax cuts for the would respond positively to Center. Families making
“Our team will go onto corporate tax rate, from 35 middle class. the tax bill. between $100,000 and
many more VICTORIES!” percent to 21 percent. In a statement, Trump said: “If we can’t sell this to the $200,000 would get av-
Trump tweeted. “That’s probably the big- “By cutting taxes and re- American people, we erage tax cuts of $2,260,
Congressional Republicans gest factor in our plan,” the forming the broken system, ought to go into another while families making more
have cast the bill as a bless- president said at the White we are now pouring rocket line of work,” he said. than $1 million would get
ing for the middle class, an House. fuel into the engine of our In an eleventh-hour hiccup average tax cuts of nearly
argument they will stress in Within minutes, during economy.” Tuesday, the Senate parlia- $70,000, according to the
their drive to hold onto their House debate at the other The Senate used a post- mentarian found that three analysis.q

With shutdown clock ticking,
GOP works on spending deal

By ANDREW TAYLOR focus, though it looks like
Associated Press many items on Capitol Hill’s
WASHINGTON (AP) — With list of unfinished business
a shutdown clock ticking could be pushed into next
toward a midnight Friday year. It also appears the
deadline, congressional upcoming short-term mea-
Republicans scrambled sure will fund the govern-
on Wednesday to finalize ment through mid-January,
a must-pass spending bill. giving lawmakers time next
A major obstacle evapo- month to work out their left-
rated after key GOP sena- over business.
tors dropped a demand to “I think if this all comes to-
add health insurance subsi- gether we can vote and
dies for the poor. leave,” McCarthy said in
The No. 2 House Republi- anticipation of a House
can, California Rep. Kevin vote on Thursday.
McCarthy, said party lead- Hopes for a bipartisan bud-
ers have scrapped plans get deal to sharply increase
to combine a short-term spending for both the Pen-
spending bill with $81 billion tagon and domestic agen-
worth of disaster aid and cies appeared dead for
a $658 billion Pentagon the year and Democrats
funding measure. Instead, were rebuffed in their de-
Republicans are likely to mands for protections for
schedule a separate vote young immigrants brought
on the disaster package, to the U.S. illegally as chil-
he said. dren.
The strategy for averting a Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-
government shutdown ap- Tenn., and Susan Collins, R- For reservations: 525-4000 ext. 172 or through www.asiesmiperuenaruba.com @ Paradise Beach Villas
peared to be coming into Maine.q