GOP chairman wants ‘robust’ tax reform process in the Senate

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) maintained Tuesday that tax reform would not be a “secretive exercise,” saying he has asked members of his panel to provide input on specific tax issues.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Hatch said that he is “committed to ensuring a robust process in the Senate for developing, considering and passing any tax reform package.”

House and Senate GOP leaders, the chairmen of the congressional tax-writing committees as well as Trump administration officials have had several private meetings in recent weeks on tax reform in an effort to develop a plan that they can all support.

Hatch said that “while this process may result in an agreed-upon framework, this will not be the be-all-end-all of tax reform.”

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He added that he has directed many Republicans on the Finance Committee to provide their thoughts on particular tax topics.

Republican Sens. Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and Rob Portman (Ohio) are focused on the international tax system, Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) is focused on the individual tax code, Sen. John Thune (S.D.) is providing advice on the business tax system and the estate tax, Sens. Dean Heller (Nevada) and Bill Cassidy (La.) are focused on energy tax policy and Sen. Pat Roberts (Kan.) is working on tax issues affecting agriculture.

“We have a number of great senators on the committee, many of whom have put in years of work on different areas of the tax system,” Hatch said. “I think it would be foolish to let that experience and expertise go to waste.”

Hatch also said he is interested in working with Democrats on tax reform.

The GOP chairman said he thinks there should be an “open and vigorous debate” on tax reform in the Senate, including “a full process in committee and regular order on the Senate floor.”