GOP senator: Every tax change doesn’t need to be made this year

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said Thursday that Republicans don’t have to make every desired improvement to the tax code this year but have to at least get the ball rolling.

“We don’t have to do everything that could possibly be done to improve the tax code this year to take an important step,” Blunt said in a speech on the Senate floor. “But if we don’t take that important step, my belief is we’re likely not to have the kind of tax relief that working families need in the next four years.”

Blunt, a member of Senate GOP leadership, suggested that if Congress passes some type of tax bill this year, they will “have the incentive to take a second look” before the end of President Trump’s first term. However, if they don’t pass anything, that won’t be the case.

“Fights that can’t be won in the next few weeks can be won in this presidential term, but only if we take this step successfully right now,” he said.

Blunt’s speech comes as the Senate is expected to vote on a budget resolution on Thursday that would allow the Senate to pass a tax bill along party lines.

The White House and key congressional Republicans released a tax framework that calls for both lowering tax rates and repealing various deductions and credits.

McClatchy reported Thursday that Blunt also pitched an incremental approach to tax reform at the Value Voters Summit dinner last week. Other attendees at the dinner did not agree with Blunt’s comments.

Blunt said in a statement to McClatchy’s Kansas City Star that “in the time we have to get this done this year, we should focus on tax cuts and some reform, with more reform to come later.”