GOP Senators seek $100 billion in tax cuts

Conservative GOP senators said Thursday they believe they have the support of Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., for a $101 billion tax cut, but Budget Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said that level remains impossible to achieve.

Complicating matters, 40 House Republicans--more than enough to derail any conference report--vowed to oppose any budget that contains a tax cut of less than $101 billion.

"The leader supports our effort to move to the House figure," Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., said following a meeting he and four conservative colleagues held with Lott today. Lott has discussed the possibility of a tax cut of between $60 billion and $70 billion, but Ashcroft and his colleagues this week said they believe they had a deal with Lott that the Senate would accept the House tax cut figure of $101 billion.

"I believe Trent Lott supports what we support," Ashcroft said. "We didn't come to a conclusion that it can't be done."

Ashcroft met with Lott along with the four fellow GOP conservatives--Sens. Rod Grams of Minnesota, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Robert Smith of New Hampshire--who have said they would not support a budget that contains less than $101 billion in tax cuts.

Grams told reporters that several times during the meeting, Lott said he would like to see a tax cut larger than $101 billion. He cautioned, however, that Lott also said he could not guarantee that level would be adopted.

Asked about his meeting with conservatives, Lott said, "I am one of them." He later said: "We ought to achieve as much of a tax cut as we can. I'd like to see more." Asked if $101 billion is politically feasible, Lott said, "Only time will tell."

However, Domenici said such a tax cut is "not possible." Told about Lott's statement of support to the conservatives, Domenici said, "Lott didn't tell me that."

Meanwhile, more than 40 House members of the Conservative Action Team today sent Lott a letter saying they are "deeply disturbed" by reports he is willing to accept a tax cut of less than $101 billion.

"Now is the time for the Republican Party to show the American people that we will stand up for our beliefs and fight on principle for what is right for our country," the CATs said. And they added, "Given your pledge to hold to the House-passed tax number, we anticipate that you will indeed request and accept no less than $101 billion in tax relief over the next five years. We will oppose any budget conference report that does not contain at least this much in tax relief."