Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) underscored the need for House Republicans to properly negotiate “real tax relief” for everyone in the United States, which comes after he met with President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend.
Lawler was one of several Republican lawmakers to meet up with the incoming president at Mar-a-Lago, during which he discussed his proposal to lift the cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes, or SALT. In detailing his meeting with Trump, Lawler said the president-elect agrees with the New York lawmaker on the need to lift the cap on SALT, and that the current cap of $10,000 is just not enough.
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“And I would remind my colleagues, here’s the reality: if we don’t pass a tax bill, the cap on SALT expires completely, and we go back to unlimited,” Lawler said on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. “The problem is that it would be associated with the largest tax increase in American history, the rates would go up, the alternative minimum tax would come back, so there’s reason for all of us to negotiate in good faith.”
Upon finishing his meeting with Republican lawmakers, the incoming president encouraged them to “come back with a number” for negotiation, which is currently the party’s “objective.” Lawler assured that Republicans would negotiate “in good faith” to reach a proper cap, stressing that it needs to provide “real tax relief” while coupled with other issues like border security and increasing domestic energy production.
Lawler has previously introduced legislation to lift that cap on federal deductions from $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for married couples. Ahead of Trump’s return to the White House on Jan. 20, Lawler assured that a negotiation between lawmakers and the president would reach a cap amount “that works.”
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The New York congressman was also asked about Trump’s plans for “one big beautiful bill,” during which he indicated he would support a bill that properly passes Trump’s agenda, which should include addressing taxes. However, if a tax bill is assembled that does not address SALT, he said he would not support it.
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu offered his take on whether or not Trump should seek a massive bill from Congress, suggesting the incoming president ought to focus on “the easy stuff” with smaller bills so the public can see as soon as possible that he is serious about changing the nation’s trajectory.