Although research is continuing, Senate Republican budget writers believe it may be possible to construct a barebones budget resolution that would simply ease passage of a tax cut bill, a Senate GOP source said today.
Senate Budget Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M., "has made it clear he wants the largest tax cut possible," and has directed staff to be "innovative" in finding a way to pass such a measure with less than 40 days remaining in the session, the source said.
Under such a plan, the House and Senate would consider a budget plan that would be designed to provide the Senate blueprint with budget reconciliation protection from filibusters. Asked if that plan could be nothing more than instructions to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees to pass a deficit-neutral tax cut measure, the Senate GOP source said, "It's looking like we might be able to do that."
The source cautioned that Senate conservatives and House Republican budget writers have not yet expressed opinions on that plan. A House Budget Committee aide today said the House has not taken a position on the issue, but that it and other options will be discussed at the staff level this week. House and Senate sources said a series of staff meetings will be held this week in an effort to make recommendations when the House returns next week.
The Senate GOP source said Senate Republican program authorizers are still discussing whether they would be willing to find the entitlement savings necessary to pass a full reconciliation bill to offset the cost of a tax cut. While only a few authorizers have expressed their opinions so far, "as might be expected, they were not all that positive," the Senate source said.
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