Sen. John Kennedy: Republicans need to pass tax reform this year
Sen. John Kennedy said Monday that Republicans need to pass tax reform this year both for the American people and the party's political future.
Taxes & Budget
Coverage of the national budget and your taxes.
Donald Trump says tax reform is economy's 'rocket fuel'
By S.A. Miller - The Washington Times
President Trump promised an audience packed with truckers Wednesday that tax cuts will create jobs and raise wages, moving to blunt the chief criticism that the Republicans' proposed tax reforms are a giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. Published October 11, 2017
Recent Stories
Rep. Kevin Brady says the major goal of tax reform is 'higher paychecks'
Rep. Kevin Brady said Friday the major goal of tax reform is "higher paychecks."
Sen. Ted Cruz: Tax reform may not pass until 'early next year'
Sen. Ted Cruz said Friday that tax reform may not happen until next year.
Paul Ryan: I 'can't imagine' we won't get Democratic votes for tax reform
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Thursday expressed confidence that there will be bipartisan support for the GOP's planned tax overhaul, saying it's hard to imagine that Democrats from states like Indiana and North Dakota would ultimately vote against their constituents.
Trump warns Puerto Rico that emergency services cannot remain indefinitely
President Trump tweeted Thursday that emergency services cannot remain in Puerto Rico indefinitely.
House set to pass $36.5B for hurricane, wildfire relief
The House is on track to backing President Donald Trump's request for billions more in disaster aid, $16 billion to pay flood insurance claims and emergency funding to help the cash-strapped government of Puerto Rico stay afloat.
A Trump tax plan to drive economic growth
Trucking is the lifeblood of the American economy. We merge millions of people and machines, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, to transport nearly every product produced, manufactured and sold. Trucks move approximately 70 percent of the nation's freight, and four out of five communities rely solely on us to deliver the goods to run their businesses, feed their families and fill their homes.
Trump sells tax plan in Pennsylvania: 'Rocket fuel for our economy'
President Trump promised an audience packed with truckers Wednesday that tax cuts will create jobs and raise wages, moving to blunt the chief criticism that Republicans' proposed tax reforms would be a giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
County officials vote to repeal Chicago-area soda tax
The Chicago-area's penny-per-ounce tax on soda and sweetened drinks was repealed Wednesday after a monthslong conflict that included a court battle and millions of dollars' worth of television ads on both sides.
Trump will try to sell tax plan in Pennsylvania, but political base begins to fray
President Trump's coalition in Pennsylvania that has begun to fray at the edges. His core supporters remain enthusiastic, but his base is shrinking and eroding his political capital in a state he narrowly won.
Why tax cuts will be a tough sell
President Trump's team has proposed tax relief for ordinary Americans and businesses that would boost growth and create jobs. Unfortunately, the recent stock market surge indicates expectations may exceed the gains tax savings could actually provide.
Trump threatens to kill tax breaks for NFL stadiums; Goodell tells teams to stand for anthem
President Trump escalated his battle with pro football players protesting the national anthem by urging the government Tuesday to end use of tax-exempt municipal bonds used to build or renovate National Football League stadiums.
Stuck on stupendous mistakes
What do you call someone who keeps making the same mistake over and over and fails to learn from others who have made a similar mistake? If one doesn't know history and basic math, and the fact that people adjust their behavior on the basis of incentives, then one should not prove ignorance by commenting on the likely effects of tax changes.
Trump spending like Obama on golf trips
Administrations come and go, but wasting taxpayer money on costly government travel remains a constant in Washington.
Pentagon budget divides Republican defense and deficit hawks, giving Democrat 'parity' an edge
With the House and Senate on track to finalize a budget later this month, Republicans are facing another round in the long-running fight between defense hawks, who say the Pentagon needs more funding no matter the cost, and fiscal hawks, who say deficits must be constrained.
House passes 2018 budget, sets up deficit clash with Senate before tax reform deal
Republicans powered their 2018 budget through the House on Thursday, overcoming months of disagreements and taking the first concrete step in their quest to pass a massive tax reform by year's end.
Senate Budget Committee advances 2018 budget plan
The Senate Budget Committee advanced its 2018 fiscal blueprint on Thursday, moving forward on Republican plans to fast-track a tax reform package hours after the full House passed its own 2018 spending outline.
House passes 2018 budget plan, setting stage for tax reform
Republicans powered their 2018 budget through the House on Thursday, overcoming months of disagreements and taking the first concrete step in their quest to pass a massive tax reform by year's end.
Audit reveals IRS targeting of liberal groups, tough scrutiny of tea party and other conservatives
The IRS singled out pro-border-security groups for intrusive scrutiny along with tea party, conservative, Occupy movement and progressive organizations, the tax agency's inspector general said in an audit Thursday that confirmed the depths of tea party targeting.
Congressional Democrats slam Republican budget plan
Congressional Democrats said Wednesday there's no room for compromise on the GOP's current budget framework, saying the 2018 fiscal blueprint appears geared toward rewarding the wealthy while piling up government debt.
Trump requests nearly $30 billion in emergency funds for hurricane disasters
The White House on Wednesday asked Congress to approve an additional quick infusion of nearly $30 billion for natural disaster relief, and lawmakers said they'll speed the money through.
House committee approves $10 billion initial payment for U.S.-Mexico border wall
The House Homeland Security Committee gave first approval to the broad scope of President Trump's border wall Wednesday, clearing a bill that would authorize $10 billion in new infrastructure spending, new waivers to speed up construction and 10,000 more border agents and officers to patrol the U.S.-Mexico line.
Mick Mulvaney: Trump administration will deal with Puerto Rico's debt after storm recovery
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Wednesday that the Trump administration would not focus on Puerto Rico's debt crisis until after the island had recovered from Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt will have to be wiped out, Trump says
President Trump has called for Puerto Rico to have its crippling debt forgiven and said it's tough luck for the Wall Street holders of the debt.
Republicans signal compromise to retain state and local tax deduction
Republican leaders are already signaling a compromise on plans to erase a nearly $2 trillion break for state and local taxes, backing down in the face of fierce criticism from Democrats and some blue-state Republicans whose constituents would suffer.
Paul Ryan expects the Trump administration to ask for more hurricane funding
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that he expects the administration to ask Congress for additional hurricane funding.
Banishing red tape: Trump the 'least regulatory president' since Reagan, study finds
"President Trump is the least regulatory president since Ronald Reagan. His administration has only proposed 1,241 rules, 13 percent less than Barack Obama's first year, 42 percent lower than George W. Bush's, and 72 percent lower than Bill Clinton's," reports a new analysis by Wayne Crews, vice president of policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says the budget remains the priority in Congress
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that the budget remains the priority in Congress.
The Coolidge formula
In school, I liked math the least and history the most. Both can be useful in the coming debate over President Trump's proposed tax reforms.
A state model for federal tax relief
As our congressional Republicans begin to shape their tax relief for hardworking Americans, they need not look any further than North Carolina. In the years after rolling out a bold tax relief plan that helps nearly all North Carolinians, the Old North State has become a bellwether model of how to cut taxes.
Republican reform tax plan would expand amount of Americans who don't owe income tax
Republicans say their new tax plan would greatly expand the "zero tax" bracket of those who owe no federal income tax — bucking a longtime goal of fiscal conservatives who want to see more Americans with "skin in the game" when it comes to government spending.
Trump's tax cut: 'Show me the money'
The latest Trump tax cut plan would be a steroid injection for the U.S. economy. Bravo to the White House and congressional leaders for packaging the biggest pro-growth tax cut since Reagan.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin calls Trump tax plan a 'jobs bill,' defends estate tax cut
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the president's tax plan revealed last week is a "jobs bill" and doesn't benefit the rich, fighting back against criticism from Democrats who say the plan mostly benefits the wealthy.
GOP tax framework would give outsized benefit to top 1 percent: Report
The Republican tax framework unveiled this week would create an immediate tax cut for all income levels, but the top 1 percent would receive 50 percent of the total tax benefits in 2018 and would stand to gain more over time than everyone else, according to a report released Friday.
Ryan Zinke calls flap over private travel 'BS,' says he did nothing wrong
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Friday afternoon fired back against charges he wasted taxpayer money on private flights, calling the accusations "BS" and stressing he did nothing wrong.
Senate Republicans roll out 2018 budget blueprint with language for tax reform
Senate Republicans on Friday unveiled their 2018 budget resolution, setting the stage for a committee mark-up next week and laying the groundwork for Republicans to pass their overhaul to the tax code.
Trump calls tax-reform plan 'rocket fuel' for U.S. economy
President Trump called his tax-reform plan "rocket fuel for our economy" Friday as he promoted the proposal to U.S. manufacturers and predicted it will lead to a rebirth of American industry.
State and local tax deduction 'not a red line' in tax-reform package, Cohn says
White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn on Friday said there could be some flexibility in how lawmakers treat the deduction people can take on state and local taxes paid, amid complaints from some Republicans on Capitol Hill that axing the provision could end up raising taxes on their constituents.
Manufacturers enthusiastic about Trump's tax-reform plan: Survey
About two-thirds of U.S. manufacturers say they are more likely to expand their businesses if Congress approves President Trump's tax-reform plan, according to a new survey released Friday.
Ryan Zinke spent thousands in taxpayer dollars for private, military flights: Report
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is the latest member of President Trump's Cabinet to come under fire for spending taxpayer dollars on expensive charter and military flights, according to reports, including one trip that cost over $12,000.
Mick Mulvaney: Steve Scalise's return can help sell tax plan
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Friday that the unity seen during House Majority Whip Steve Scalise's return is something Congress can build on to pass tax reform.
Partisanship prevails over promises when Democrats see Republican tax reform
Promises of bipartisanship evaporated as soon as Republicans rolled out a tax reform framework, as the few Democrats who earlier signaled a willingness to work on the issue joined their party leaders in denouncing the plan as a windfall for the wealthy.
How to fix the federal debt: Budget analysts say it's only politics that stand in the way
The Washington Times spoke with budget analysts across the political spectrum, who say the solutions to soaring debt are fairly clear, even if the political will to follow through on them remains elusive.
Price to stop taking chartered flights, repay taxpayers
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said Thursday he regretted his use of expensive chartered flights and will personally reimburse taxpayers.
Trump adviser Gary Cohn can't guarantee tax cut for every middle-class American
President Trump's chief economic adviser said Thursday that he could not guarantee that every middle-class American would pay less under the GOP tax reform plan, but that is the goal.
Steve Mnuchin says tax reform will be done by December
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Thursday that the timeline on taxes is going to be fast.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy: Addressing the budget is the first step in tax reform
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that the first phase of the tax plan will be addressing the budget.
'Revolutionary change': Trump promises major tax relief for American workers, businesses
Republicans outlined a once-in-a-generation tax overhaul Wednesday that would slash rates, boost businesses and double the amount of tax-free income everyone can pocket -- a move that is likely to leave many more Americans owing no income tax at all.
Trump tax reform to increase U.S. deficit
Fiscal watchdogs said Wednesday that President Trump's tax reform plan is likely to add trillions in deficits and relies on overly rosy projections of economic growth to minimize its budget impact.
78 Obama appointees 'burrowed' into career jobs, watchdog finds
A government watchdog found that 78 political appointees of President Barack Obama managed to "burrow" into career government jobs over a six-year period.
Sen. John Cornyn says lower tax rate will attract businesses to the U.S.
Sen. John Cornyn said Wednesday that the Republican tax plan needs to include a lower corporate interest rate to make businesses competitive globally.
Trump guts tax code: Slashes rates, kills death tax
President Trump unveiled a sweeping tax reform plan Wednesday that dramatically lowers rates, expands the amount of tax-free income everyone can pocket and simplifies the code to a one-page return for most Americans.
Sen. John Thune: Tax reform will likely be the focus if health care fails this week
Sen. John Thune said Tuesday that if the GOP health care bill doesn't pass this week, then the Senate should shift its focus to tax reform.
A tax cut for all Americans
When you hear the phrase "corporate tax cut," what do you picture? Middle-class workers, or Uncle Moneybags, the character from the Monopoly board game?
Rep. Jim Renacci says he would've liked more bipartisanship on tax reform
Rep. Jim Renacci said Monday that he wishes there was more bipartisanship in the Republicans' tax reform plan.
Trump says tax plan ready to go, to be unveiled this week
President Trump said Sunday night that his tax-cut plan is completed and will result in "the largest tax cut in the history of our country."
Republican tax reform plan heartens small business owners
Small business owners are increasingly hopeful they won't get left out in the cold in tax reform, and say they feel encouraged by lawmakers' prioritizing relief both for larger corporations and for such smaller companies that are often subjected to even higher tax rates.
Wilbur Ross: White House doesn't want to 'unnecessarily irritate' Congress with tax plan
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday that the Trump administration doesn't want to "unnecessarily irritate" Congress with the coming tax reform plan.
Republicans to introduce $1.5 trillion tax cut blueprint in Senate next week
Republican senators struck a deal this week paving the way for potentially $1.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade, suggesting broad outlines of a plan to be presented next week.
How to stop foreign billionaires' gaming U.S. tax code
How do Republicans win in 2018, let alone in 2020, when their president's approval rating is lower than Hillary Clinton's self-esteem?
Recent Opinion Columns
The high cost of waiting to drain the swamp
"Drain the swamp!" It was the battle cry of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Many Republican members of Congress echoed that call as well, riding it to victory -- and control of both legislative chambers.
Much fast growth right around the corner
Every day there are legions of new economists who dismiss the Donald Trump economic agenda and his forecast of 3 percent growth as a wild-eyed fantasy. The consensus is that the economy "can't possibly grow at 3 percent" says The Wall Street Journal. "Slow growth is the new norm, so get used to it," writes Rucir Sharma, Morgan Stanley, chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley in Foreign Affairs magazine this month.
The cure is tax policy, not trade
America's lethargic economy isn't doing so good and President Trump's tax cut plan to get it growing again is stalled in Congress for the foreseeable future.
Republicans grapple over corporate tax reform without hurting small businesses
Small businesses have become the crux of the tax reform debate, with Republicans saying it makes no sense to do only a corporate overhaul because it will leave behind millions of mom-and-pop shops that file their taxes as individuals.
Pulling the administrative state off autopilot
This past weekend marked President Trump's 100th day in office. While tax cuts and health care reform have been discussed, neither has moved forward. With a potential fight over the debt limit looming, there is surely a lot that could be said about what Mr. Trump has and has not accomplished over the last few months. But there is at least one bright spot: reducing burdensome federal regulations.
Obstructions to tax simplicity
Thanks to the beneficence of the federal government (and the calendar), we Americans have until midnight on April 18 to file our income taxes. It's too bad filing taxes wasn't an easier process.
Tax reform to jump-start the economy
President Trump's tax reform plan promises to re-energize the American economy, create jobs and slow the increase of the national debt. You might say that the Trump tax plan will "fundamentally transform the United States of America" after "decades of broken politics in Washington" and "eight years of failed policies" under his predecessor's administration -- to use Barack Obama's words from 2008.
Thinking clearly about tax reform
President Trump has said he is going to move on to tax reform after the debacle with Obamacare repeal. Is there any reason that we can expect greater success with the tax reform effort? I argue no, unless the rules in the House and Senate are modified, and those in Congress, whose brains are connected enough to distinguish between tax rates and tax revenues, take control.
Striking budget gold
What hypocrites liberals and the media are. For weeks on end they've been beating up President Trump for not taking the initiative on the $10 trillion debt build-up under Barack Obama or the runaway entitlement programs that could bankrupt our nation.
The Budget Theater, now open with the follies
A president's budget has the shelf life of a shrimp. A president drafts a budget and sells it with language as chaste and extravagant as the blue sky, and his naysayers dutifully mount their soap boxes to declaim, distort and denounce.
The death tax is the unfairest tax of all
It was in 1916 -- 100 years ago this year -- that America made a big, big mistake that has done significant damage to our economy and the fairness of our tax system for an entire century. We are talking about the estate tax, more popularly known as the death tax.
Saving Social Security on the backs of taxpayers
When politicians insist on "reforming" some program they mismanaged and destroyed, they always turn to the average American and begin explaining the "sacrifice" we have to make in order to save it.
Why so many are unemployed for so long
If you pay people not to work, what do you think they will do?
From The Vault
Solid hiring in July cuts unemployment rate to 4.3 pct.
U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs in July, a second straight month of robust gains that underscore the economy's vitality as it enters a ninth year of expansion.
House approves spending bill with $1.6 billion to start Trump's border wall
The House approved $1.6 billion Thursday to fund the first installment of President Trump's border wall, surmounting Democrats' unanimous opposition and giving the White House a significant though potentially short-lived victory.
A plan to save Social Security
It is no secret that what the major media seem to care most about is radically different from what concerns average Americans. While the inside-the-Beltway crowd continues to focus on alleged collusion between President Trump and Russia, real concerns like the future of Social Security are ignored.
Mick Mulvaney: CBO score uses Obamacare architect's standards
White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Thursday that the Congressional Budget Office is still using a scoring system created by Obamacare's architect.
Gov't to report on solvency of Social Security, Medicare
Republicans in Washington have been clamoring for years to address the long-term financial problems of Social Security and Medicare.
Kansas legislators abandon Brownback's tax experiment
Kansas legislators have repudiated the tax-cutting experiment that brought Gov. Sam Brownback national attention, with even fellow Republicans voting to override his veto of a plan reversing many of the income tax reductions he championed in recent years as a way to fix the cash-strapped state's budget.
Trump sends optimistic budget to pessimistic Congress
The White House's newly minted 2018 budget sprints toward balance over the next decade by counting on a major economic growth spurt to boost revenue and deep cuts on the spending side -- all of it enhanced by more than a few gimmicks and wildly optimistic assumptions.
President Trump's tax reform
President Trump presented his eagerly anticipated tax-reform scheme Wednesday and the reviews were, as expected, mixed but hopeful.
Trump's budget would eliminate dozens of programs, including National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts and dozens of other federal programs would be eliminated under President Trump's first budget.
Budget hawks, anti-tax conservatives support Trump's infrastructure plan
President Trump's plan for a $1 trillion program to rebuild America's roads, bridges, railways and airports has won early support from leading budget hawks and anti-tax conservatives because it is expected to be more about regulatory reform and alternative financing than a federal spending spree.
Trump pledges 'great rebuilding' of military on visit to new carrier
President Trump visited the Navy's new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier on Thursday and told sailors that more ships would be coming in his "great rebuilding" of the military.
House GOP rolls out $577.9 billion defense spending bill
The House Appropriations Committee dropped a defense spending bill Thursday that aims to keep the military running through September, the end of the current fiscal year.
Trump to propose military buildup, cuts in foreign aid in first address to Congress
In his first major address to Congress, President Trump will deliver a prime-time "message to the world" Tuesday night by proposing a robust military buildup and corresponding cuts in foreign aid, State Department operations and domestic programs.
Military leaders say budget caps are crippling armed forces
A panel of four-star U.S. military officers is delivering lawmakers a bleak picture about the state of the armed forces.
Obama's Hawaii Christmas vacations cost taxpayers $35 million over 8 years
For the last time, taxpayers are paying for a Hawaiian Christmas vacation for President Obama and his family, an annual luxury getaway that has cost the Treasury easily more than $35 million over eight years.
