Senate

Collins to support GOP tax plan

by Jordain Carney - 12/18/17 4:32 PM ET

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said on Monday that she will support the GOP tax plan as leadership appears to have the votes to pass the bill.

“I rise to express my support for the conference agreement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. … This legislation will provide tax relief to working families, encourage the creation of jobs right here in America and spur economic growth that will benefit all Americans,” Collins said from the Senate floor.

She added that “most Maine households with see their taxes go down.”

{mosads}Senate Republicans believe they have the votes to pass the tax plan as soon as Tuesday evening.

With a 52-seat majority, they can only afford to lose two GOP senators and still let Vice President Pence break a tie.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is expected to miss the tax vote, and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who supported the Senate bill, hasn’t said if he will back the conference agreement. But GOP Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Mike Lee (Utah), three key holdouts, have said they will support the bill.

Collins supported the Senate’s version after getting her amendments included in the bill, as well as a promise from Senate GOP leadership to pass the bills aimed at stabilizing the individual health insurance market under ObamaCare.

Several amendments that Collins offered were incorporated into the bill, including the restoration of a $10,000 deduction for state and local property taxes and a lower threshold for deducting medical expenses.

Tags Bob Corker Jeff Flake John McCain Marco Rubio Mike Lee Susan Collins