U.S. House to vote in September on tax cuts, funding government: Ryan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A government shutdown for lack of funds will be avoided in coming weeks and the U.S. House of Representatives will vote in September on another round of tax cuts, Speaker Paul Ryan said on Wednesday.
FILE PHOTO: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks to the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo
“That’s not in anyone’s interest,” Ryan told reporters when asked about the possibility of a government shutdown, to which President Donald Trump has alluded.
Ryan also said the House will vote this month on legislation to make permanent the $1.1 trillion in temporary cuts for individuals, families and private businesses that are set to expire in 2025.
The House and Senate have been working on spending bills for fiscal year 2019, which begins on Oct. 1, in the hope of funding agencies and programs and avoiding the closure of some federal activities.
“I think the results will prove itself,” Ryan said.
In the past, Trump has expressed support for forcing a government shutdown in order to force Congress to approve full funding for a wall that he wants to build on the U.S. border with Mexico.
But in an interview with the Daily Caller on Tuesday, Trump was quoted as backing off on that threat.
Congress approved nearly $1.6 billion for wall construction this year and the House is pushing for an additional $1.8 billion next year - far below the estimated $25 billion needed for the project that is opposed by Democrats and many Republicans.
On taxes, Congress handed Trump a major, deficit-financed tax cut bill at the end of last year that is a central feature of Republicans’ bid to win the Nov. 6 congressional elections.
That law provided deep tax cuts for corporations on a permanent basis. A move by the House to make more of the cuts permanent could have a difficult time clearing the Senate.
Reporting By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell
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