Scalise: House, Senate ‘pretty close’ on tax bill

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Sunday the House and Senate are “pretty close” on the key aspects of each chamber’s tax bill, despite what he acknowledged are “significant” differences.

“If you look at the House and Senate bill, both of us are pretty close on that. There are some areas where we disagree,” Scalise said on “Fox and Friends,” pointing to agreement over cutting the corporate tax rate.

The Senate passed legislation early Saturday morning to overhaul the tax code, approving the plan by a 51-49 vote.

{mosads}The bill would lower tax rates for individuals through 2025 and permanently cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. The bill’s tax cuts for individuals are temporary in order to comply with budget rules that the measure can’t add to the deficit after 10 years.

Republican senators will now move to reconcile their legislation with the House’s proposal, passed in mid-November.

“When you look at the differences, they’re not that big, but there are some key significant differences that the House and Senate need to work out,” Scalise said Sunday.

Among the most significant differences between the two bills is that the Senate version repeals the ObamaCare individual mandate, and modifies the estate tax, or “death tax.”

Scalise said he supports the individual mandate repeal, adding that he’d like to see ObamaCare repealed and replaced. The House passed a measure to do so earlier this year, but a similar bill failed in the Senate.

“I’m glad the Senate passed a bill. Now let’s get the differences worked out and get that on President Trump’s desk by Christmas,” Scalise said.

Scalise’s comments echo those of Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who on Sunday said the two chambers are “not that far apart” on their respective tax-reform bills.