Reince Priebus, White House chief of staff, has said President Donald Trump’s administration may include moderate Democratic lawmakers in talks to advance the tax reform, budget request and other priorities in the president’s agenda, Reuters reported Sunday.
“If we can come up with a bill that accomplishes the goals of the president with Republicans alone, we’ll take it and we’ll move forward with it,” Priebus said on “Fox News Sunday.â€
“I think it’s more or less a warning shot that we’re willing to talk to anyone,†he added.
Lindsay Dunsmuir and Doina Chiacu write Priebus’ remarks came after House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) announced that he expects a tax reform bill to advance through his panel in the spring of 2017.
Priebus’ statement also came two days after House Republicans decided to drop legislation that would overturn ObamaCare, according to a report by Scott Wong for The Hill newspaper.
Trump called on House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) to abandon the bill that would repeal the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act since the proposed legislation failed to get enough Republican votes needed to support its passage in the lower chamber, Wong wrote.
The report added members of the House Freedom Caucus put the proposed bill through a debate Friday and asked for several amendments that seek to reduce premium costs.
