Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who blocked passage of the Republican healthcare bill, have expressed broad areas of agreement with President Donald Trump on what to do with the tax code, The Washington Post reported.
But the newspaper cautioned there is still "plenty of potential for conflict as Trump, (House Speaker Paul) Ryan, and the caucus once again come together in search of a deal."
And if Trump is to avoid a second major congressional setback, he will need to win over caucus members this time around, according to the Post.
The newspaper noted all sides generally endorse the same principles for tax reform — reduce tax rates for everyone. To make up for lost government revenue, they would eliminate special deductions, exemptions, and loopholes.
But for some, the plan might not go far enough. Conservative lawmaker Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is looking for a single tax rate for everyone — with no exceptions.
The setback in getting a Republican healthcare bill through Congress has clouded Trump's plans for the biggest rewrite of the tax code in a generation, The Washington Times noted.
However, the White House remains optimistic about the Trump's agenda.
"Moving forward, the president's vision on lowering taxes for every American is what's going to unite not just the Republican Party, but I think some of those Democrats are going to come on board as well," White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told "Fox News Sunday."
The Post noted the White House will also have to deal with conservatives on the issue of debt as it moves forward on tax reform.
"Those spending pieces, we'll debate those coming up — the military, the wall, the infrastructure plan — but you've got to see tax reform in place first," Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., told CNN last month. "Otherwise, we can't afford it."
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