Rand Paul says he will back Senate GOP tax bill in win for Trump, Republican leaders
- GOP Sen. Rand Paul said in a Fox News op-ed Monday that he will vote for the Senate Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
- Paul was a question mark on the Republican plan before the op-ed.
- The Senate is expected to vote on the TCJA by the end of the week.
Sen. Rand Paul announced that he would support the Senate GOP tax bill in an op-ed on Monday, shoring up another vote for the massive legislative push.
Paul had been a question mark for Republicans due to issues he raised over the winners and losers from the bill. Paul also voted against the Senate budget resolution that helped pave the way for tax reform.
Despite this, Paul wrote for Fox News that he planned to support the bill because he simply wants a tax cut on a philosophical level and the bill, named the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), is a step towards that.
"One of the main differences between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans, in general, favor less government and more tax cuts," Paul wrote. "That's why I'm pleased to see us moving forward on a plan for tax cuts, and why I hope to vote to pass such a cut in the coming weeks."
Paul said that he wanted a deeper cut, but was pleased that the bill included the repeal of Obamacare's individual mandate - something he advocated. There were also other issues that the Kentucky senator wanted to see changed in the final version of the bill.
"I would prefer that the Senate bill match the House bill and keep some form of state and local deductions so that no one gets caught in the trap of losing too many deductions at once and failing to benefit from the tax cuts," Paul wrote. "Lastly, I'd like to see more permanence on the individual side."
As it stands, the Senate TCJA makes its cuts to individual taxes temporary, going back to the current system after 2025.
In addition to the TCJA, Paul said he wanted the government to take up a tax cut "every single year." For now, however, Paul urged other GOP lawmakers to vote for the current bill.
"This tax bill is a true test for my colleagues," Paul wrote. "I'm not getting everything I want - far from it. But I've been immersed in this process. I've fought for and received major changes for the better - and I plan to vote for this bill as it stands right now."
The Senate is expected to vote on the TCJA by the end of the week. Only two Republican senators can vote against the bill for it to pass.