GOP on the verge of huge tax overhaul a ” with one hiccup

Jubilant Republicans pushed on Tuesday to the verge of the most sweeping rewrite of the nation's tax laws in more than three decades, a deeply unpopular bill they insist Americans will learn to love when they see their paychecks in the new year. President Donald Trump cheered the lawmakers on, eager to claim his first major legislative victory.

Analysis: GOPa s tea party promises dashed in tax cut embrace

WASHINGTON >> The tea party class of 2010 vowed to usher in a new era for the Republican Party, one where conservatives clamoring for fiscal discipline would roll back government spending to rein in trillion-plus budget deficits. Republicans are returning to their Ronald Reagan-era roots - tax cuts first, followed by vague promises of cutting spending down the road.

House passes massive tax package; Senate to vote next

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., left, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., leave a closed-door Republican Conference meeting as Congress prepares to vote on the biggest reshaping of the U.S. tax code in three decades, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Tuesday. WASHINGTON >> Gleeful Republicans on Tuesday muscled the most sweeping rewrite of the nation's tax laws in more than three decades through the House.

‘Last Jedi’ critics mostly conservative

Into a divided pop culture landscape, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" has arrived as an apparently unifying force, crushing the box office in its opening weekend and drawing raves from film critics . But the praise for the ninth film in the 40-year-old space saga isn't universal: Plenty of people say the latest "Star Wars" installment is riddled with problems - and many of those folks hail from the right side of the aisle.

The Latest: House forced to revote on GOP tax bill Wednesday

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bi... . Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bi... .

Tax bill opens Arctic refuge for oil; years of delay may follow

Congress is close to lifting a 40-year-old ban on energy development in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but drilling for oil in that frozen wilderness may still be years away as the effort faces exhaustive environmental reviews and likely lawsuits. It could be a decade or more before any well is drilled, following required environmental scrutiny and permit reviews-and then the inevitable lawsuits from local communities and environmental groups opposed to any development in that rugged wilderness.

Jill Stein, the Green Party’s 2016 presidential candidate, says …

The Senate intelligence committee has asked for documents from former presidential candidate Jill Stein as part of its probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, adding another new thread to the panel's investigation as it heads into 2018. Stein said in a statement overnight Tuesday that she was cooperating with the probe and is providing documents to the committee.

Environmental group files lawsuit asking for a look at cheaper options to I-73

CHARLESTON, SC A local environmental group filed a lawsuit Tuesday that is asking federal agencies to examine a "more fiscally responsible alternative" to Interstate 73. According to a press release, the Coastal Conservation League is asking that officials look into the Grand Strand Expressway, which is a proposal to connect Myrtle Beach to Interstate 95 with upgrades to the S.C. 38 and U.S. 501 corridor. CCL leaders said the proposed expressway would save $2 billion, "compared to the I-73 boondoggle pushed by Horry County officials and special interests," the release stated.

Two moderate senators disappoint those who bought their tax bill rhetoric

"A crucial GOP senator is raising questions about the bill after finding out that it includes a tax break that could financially benefit him and politically tarnish him. "Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., says he wasn't aware of this new tax break for wealthy real estate developers like him, but the left is whacking him for initially withholding support yet later backing the bill around the same time that this provision was included.

Giddy Republicans celebrate major tax victory ahead of vote

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, steward of the GOP tax bill, smiles he as he arrives for a closed-door meeting as the Republican majority in Congress prepares to vote on the biggest reshaping of the U.S. tax code in three decades, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., left, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., leave a closed-door Republican Conference meeting as Congress prepares to vote on the biggest reshaping of the U.S. tax code in three decades, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017.

Senate Committee Rejects Trump Nominee After Intense Opposition From Big Business

The Senate banking committee rejected President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Export-Import Bank on Tuesday, voting 10-13 against advancing his nomination to the full Senate. WASHINGTON - The Senate banking committee rejected President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Export-Import Bank on Tuesday, voting 10-13 against advancing his nomination to the full Senate.

House, Senate vote today on tax overhaul plan

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, accompanied by Rep. Kevin McCarthy , and Rep. Steve Scalise , speaks at a news conference following a closed House Republican conference meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 19, 2017. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks at a news conference about the Republican led tax reform bill at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 19, 2017.

What Sen. Marco Rubio got for his tax vote – Tue, 19 Dec 2017 PST

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., threw the Republican tax bill into chaos last week when he threatened to vote against it if it didn't include a more robust tax credit for working families. But by mid-Thursday, GOP leaders had increased the credit by enough to secure Rubio's vote for the bill.