Trump says Democrats like his tax plan "a lot"
President Trump made his closing argument for his tax plan Wednesday, saying Democrats like the legislation "a lot" but can't talk about it or vote for it for purely political reasons.
"We will have very little Democratic support, probably none, and that is purely for political reasons," Mr. Trump said in a speech at the White House Wednesday, surrounded by Christmas trees and families the White House invited to promote his tax plan. "They like it a lot. And they cannot say it."
The president offered his remarks just as House and Senate negotiators reached a compromise agreement in principle on the differences between their two versions of legislation. The conferees officially met for the first time on Wednesday, although members have been discussing the details of the bill, CBS News' Nancy Cordes has reported.
Republicans in the House and Senate hope to vote on -- and pass -- the legislation early next week. Senate Republicans are under additional pressure to pass the bill before Democrat Doug Jones -- Alabama's senator-elect after he defeated Republican Roy Moore in a special election Tuesday night -- is seated in the Senate, though the election results are not likely to be certified until after lawmakers have voted on the bill. Jones' election will give the GOP only a 51-49 edge in the Senate, a slim majority as the Trump administration looks to its agenda in 2018 and beyond.
No Democrats in the House or Senate voted for the GOP's tax bills. Mr. Trump has said he wants to sign the tax bill before Christmas.
The Trump administration has pitched the plan as a win for the middle class, although it has been unable to guarantee that some middle-class families won't see their tax bill increase.
