Republicans one step closer to pushing through 'partisan' tax plan

The House approved a budget that calls for more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years

US Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan returns to his office after a vote at the Capitol (Getty Images)

Republicans are looking to avoid needing the help of Democrats to rewrite the US tax code.

In a 219-206 vote, the House of Representatives passed a $4.1 trillion budget plan that would allow Republicans in the Senate to push through a tax bill without any votes from Democrats.

The budget plan calls for more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years. It also promises to slash spending on Medicaid – a healthcare programme for the poor – by about $1 trillion in the coming decade and keep its plan to repeal and replace Obamacare alive.

House Democrats unanimously opposed the budget resolution, with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer calling it “a vehicle for achieving partisan tax reform.” A total of 18 Republicans voted against the measure.

“We haven’t reformed this tax system since 1986. We need to pass this budget so we can help bring more jobs, fairer taxes and bigger paychecks for people across this country,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan during floor debate on the budget proposal.

The Senate is currently working on its own version of the fiscal 2018 budget, which is expected to come to the floor sometime this month.

If the Senate also succeeds in passing a budget resolution, Republicans would trigger a legislative process known as reconciliation, during which they could pass their tax reform bill with a majority of only 51 votes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could only afford two defections out of the 52 Republicans in the 100-member Senate.

Most other bills can be filibustered – when debate over a proposed piece of legislation is extended – and would need 60 votes to end the filibuster, or invoke closure. Requiring 60 votes to end debate is a unique characteristic of the Senate and has the effect of requiring some Republicans to work with Democrats to push forward legislation.

Republicans also attempted to use reconciliation to pass a healthcare bill – but they failed multiple times.

The party has still not secured a major legislative victory since Donald Trump took office in January, despite having control over both the House and the Senate.