November 29, 2017 Senate wraps first day on tax bill after substitute amendment offered A substitute amendment to the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" was offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on November 29, 2017, on behalf of Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Leader McConnell's office indicated that the substitute amendment is the Budget Committee-reported reconciliation bill combining the tax bill and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee bill to permit drilling in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). It is now the pending business before the Senate. There will be no further votes in the Senate tonight. The Senate will reconvene at 10:30 a.m. on November 30, when there will be an additional hour of debate on the substitute amendment, after which other amendments can be offered. Also on November 29, a motion by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) to commit the bill to the Finance Committee with instructions to report it back to the Senate with changes that "eliminate provisions that would raise taxes on millions of middle class taxpayers" was defeated on a 48-51 vote. The Senate Republican Policy Committee is maintaining an amendment tracker, although links to amendment text do not work outside of the Senate. ———————————————
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