Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the job of getting tax reform through Congress will be more difficult if President Donald Trump fails to release his own tax returns.
"Until President Trump releases his full tax returns, a cloud of suspicion will remain and make it much more difficult to get tax reform legislation through the Congress," the New York Democrat said in a statement released Friday.
Democrats have demanded Trump release his tax returns, The Hill reported Friday, but the president has said he was currently under audit by the IRS.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) tried to force a vote on a resolution he introduced to the House to delay its consideration of tax-reform legislation until lawmakers review Trump's tax returns. The move was blocked by Republicans.
Trump and House Republicans have indicated they would like to see tax reform passed by their August recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doubts Congress can accomplish it by that date, according to the Hill.
However, Republicans could enact legislation on tax reform through a process call "reconciliation," which requires a simple majority vote.
Schumer gave similar warnings in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, stating Americans would have doubts about any new tax reforms until Trump releases his own financial records.
"Anytime the president proposes something on tax reform, the average American is going to say, 'Oh, he's not doing that because it's good for me, he's doing it because it's good for him,'" Schumer said.
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