In the Future, Kevin Brady Sees More Reconciliation

In the Future, Kevin Brady Sees More Reconciliation-rollcall: As Republicans near final passage of their tax overhaul package, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said he plans to push the budget reconciliation tool they’ve used to advance the tax bill without Democratic support to further change the tax code.

Why Corker flipped on the tax bill

Why Corker flipped on the tax bill-politico: Days before his surprise announcement that he would support the GOP tax bill, Sen. Bob Corker had been summoning administration officials and economists to his office to see whether he could ultimately get on board with the plan.

Landmark GOP Tax Bill Poised for Final Passage

Landmark GOP Tax Bill Poised for Final Passage-rollcall: Republicans late Friday unveiled their final plan to overhaul the tax code, a sweeping measure that aims to lower taxes on businesses and individuals, open up parts of Alaska to oil drilling and roll back a key piece of the 2010 health care law.

Senate Tax Positions Prevail in Conference, House GOP Doesn’t Care

Senate Tax Positions Prevail in Conference, House GOP Doesn’t Care-rollcall: The tax overhaul conference report looks a lot like the Senate bill. Senate negotiators prevailed on most of the major issues — and House Republicans say they’re fine with that.

Ryan, Pelosi Talk Government Funding End-Game

Ryan, Pelosi Talk Government Funding End-Game-rollcall: Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., spoke about a measure released by Republicans Wednesday night to fund defense through fiscal 2018 and fund the rest of the government through Jan. 19. Meanwhile, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, called the measure a “NOTibus,” because “it’s not going anywhere.”

10 Thoughts After the Alabama Senate Election

10 Thoughts After the Alabama Senate Election-rollcall: One of the best parts about covering elections is that there is always a result. After all the prognosticating, projecting, discussing and arguing, there’s a winner. But determining the true meaning of victory and loss can be difficult.

A Tax Conference Committee Meeting Mostly For Show

A Tax Conference Committee Meeting Mostly For Show-rollcall: Nothing against the members of the House and Senate attending Wednesday’s inaugural meeting of the conference committee finalizing the tax code overhaul, but it’s mostly for show and unlikely to be must-see television.

House Speaker Ryan says he believes upbeat Treasury tax study

House Speaker Ryan says he believes upbeat Treasury tax study-reuters: U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday defended a one-page analysis by the Treasury Department that asserted a tax plan pushed by the Republican-led Congress would pay for itself in 10 years.

Alabama election: Doug Jones scores stunning win, but Moore won't concede

Alabama election: Doug Jones scores stunning win, but Moore won't concede-cnn: Doug Jones on Tuesday became the first Democrat in a generation to win a Senate seat in Alabama, beating Republican Roy Moore amid a firestorm of allegations that the GOP candidate had sexually abused teens.

Congressional scorekeeper: House-passed tax bill wouldn't pay for itself

Congressional scorekeeper: House-passed tax bill wouldn't pay for itself-thehill: The tax bill House Republicans passed last month wouldn't produce enough revenue from economic growth to pay for itself, Congress's tax scorekeeper said in a 12-page report released Monday.

Turbulent Senate race now in hands of Alabama voters

Turbulent Senate race now in hands of Alabama voters-ap: Depending on who is making the case, Alabama’s special Senate election Tuesday is about either continuing the “Trump miracle” in Washington or allowing “decency” to prevail back home.

Tax Bill Is Likely to Undo Health Insurance Mandate, Republicans Say

Tax Bill Is Likely to Undo Health Insurance Mandate, Republicans Say-nytimes: House and Senate negotiators thrashing out differences over a major tax bill are likely to eliminate the insurance coverage mandate at the heart of the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers say.

Congress averts shutdown, sends Trump stopgap spending bill

Congress averts shutdown, sends Trump stopCongress averts shutdown, sends Trump stopgap spending billgap spending bill-ap: Congress on Thursday passed a stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown this weekend and buy time for challenging talks on a wide range of unfinished business on Capitol Hill. The shutdown reprieve came as all sides issued optimistic takes on an afternoon White House meeting between top congressional leaders and President Donald Trump.

Trump to Meet Democrats With Congress on Track to Avoid Shutdown

Trump to Meet Democrats With Congress on Track to Avoid Shutdown-bloomberg: President Donald Trump will meet with congressional leaders from both parties Thursday to negotiate on a long-term budget deal as Congress prepares to pass a stopgap spending measure to avoid a U.S. government shutdown Saturday.

Ryan says Republicans to target welfare, Medicare, Medicaid spending in 2018

Ryan says Republicans to target welfare, Medicare, Medicaid spending in 2018-washingtonpost: House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said Wednesday that congressional Republicans will aim next year to reduce spending on both federal health care and anti-poverty programs, citing the need to reduce America's deficit.

GOP Spending Strategy Would Delay Shutdown Showdown

GOP Spending Strategy Would Delay Shutdown Showdown-thehill: House Republicans are working on a multistep government funding strategy that involves a two-week stopgap measure to keep the lights on beyond Dec. 8 and fully funding defense by Christmas.

Top House Dem calls for probe into CVS-Aetna merger

Top House Dem calls for probe into CVS-Aetna merger-thehill: A top House Democrat is calling for a hearing to examine the merger between CVS and Aetna.

Senators Unclear on Plan to Fund Government Days Before Funding Expires

Senators Unclear on Plan to Fund Government Days Before Funding Expires-rollcall: Senators are in the dark on how Congress will eventually move to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2018 just days before the current funding expires.

Trump says he'll encourage Orrin Hatch to seek re-election

Trump says he'll encourage Orrin Hatch to seek re-election-washingtonexaminer: President Trump said Monday that he would encourage Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch to seek re-election amid speculation that the 83-year-old lawmaker may retire rather than run for his eighth term.

House conservatives almost topple tax vote

House conservatives almost topple tax vote-politico: House conservatives threatened to derail a key tax vote on Monday in an attempt to win more influence over the GOP's spending strategy, just four days before the deadline to fund the government.

As Tax Overhaul Looms, Senate Has Upper Hand

As Tax Overhaul Looms, Senate Has Upper Hand-rollcall: The Senate’s passage of a tax overhaul illustrated a fragile coalition of support that ironically provides the chamber with the upper hand headed into conference committee negotiations with the House.

Trump moves to block Romney from the Senate

Trump moves to block Romney from the Senate-politico: Donald Trump is going all out to persuade seven-term Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch to seek reelection — a push aimed in no small part at keeping the president’s longtime nemesis, Mitt Romney, out of the Senate.

Congress faces frantic week with possible shutdown, taxes, Russia

Congress faces frantic week with possible shutdown, taxes, Russia-politico: Congress faces another frantic week as GOP leaders and President Donald Trump wrestle with a possible government shutdown; immigration, tax and gun policies; multiple allegations of sexual harassment against lawmakers; and the probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

Republicans pursue two-week spending bill

Republicans pursue two-week spending bill-thehill: Congressional Republicans are pursuing a short-term bill that would avert a looming shutdown and fund the government through Dec. 22, GOP leadership aides said.

House 2018: Less Than a Year Out, Race for Control Is a Coin Flip

House 2018: Less Than a Year Out, Race for Control Is a Coin Flip-sabatoscrystalball: In the aftermath of the 2014 midterm election, when the party that didn’t hold the White House (the Republicans) gained ground in the House for the 36th time in 39 midterms since the Civil War, I wrote the following in the Center for Politics’ postmortem on the election.

GOP Tax Effort Gains Major Momentum With Support of Two Holdouts

GOP Tax Effort Gains Major Momentum With Support of Two Holdouts-rollcall: The endorsement of the GOP tax bill by two more Republican senators on Friday morning provides major momentum heading into an expected vote on the historic overhaul.