Trump Reaches Across the Aisle Hoping For Tax Reform Deal
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump hosted a group of bipartisan lawmakers at the White House Wednesday in his continuing effort to come up with a tax reform plan that will have a chance at becoming law.
Details of the tax plan are still being drafted, but President Trump said the plan will not be focused on the rich. He said it would not lower the amount of taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans.
"We are looking for the middle class and we are looking for jobs," Trump said during the meeting with Republican and Democrat House members in the Cabinet Room of the White House.
President Trump struck a deal with Democrats last week to keep the federal government funded through December 8th. He says working across the aisle is something he plans to keep doing.
"When we set aside our differences -- and it is amazing how little our differences are -- we put our country and we put the citizens of our country first. And that's what this is all about," Trump said.
The White House tax reform plan is based on four principles:
- Simplifying the tax code
- Cutting taxes
- Encouraging companies to hire and grow
- Bringing back trade dollars from overseas
The President will host Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at the White House for dinner Wednesday night.
When asked why Republican congressional leadership was not invited, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders explained President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, so GOP ideology will be represented.
Trump hosted a bipartisan group of Senators for dinner at the White House Tuesday night.
When asked what his message is to skeptical conservatives about this new effort to work across the aisle, the President said, "Well, I am a conservative and I will tell you, I'm not skeptical."
"If we can do things in a bipartisan manner, that will be great. Now it might not work out, in which case we will try to do it without," Trump added.
The President says he is hoping to come up with bipartisan solutions not only for tax reform, but also for infrastructure, health care, and immigration.
