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NATION Tuesday, November 28, 2017 East Oregonian Page 9A Senate considers tax hike failsafe if revenue falls short By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER and MARCY GORDON Associated Press WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are considering a trigger that would automatically increase taxes if their sweeping legislation fails to generate as much revenue as they expect. It’s an effort to mollify deficit hawks who worry that tax cuts for businesses and individuals will add to the nation’s already mounting debt. The effort comes as a second Republican senator, Steve Daines of Montana, announced Monday that he opposes the tax bill in its current form. Previously, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he opposed the bill, leaving Senate Republicans no room for error as they hope to vote on the bill this week. Both senators complained that the tax bill favors large corporations over small busi- nesses. Republicans have only two votes to spare in the Senate, where they hold a 52-48 edge and anticipate Vice President Mike Pence breaking a tie. At the White House, President Donald Trump maintained that the bill would help all Americans. “I think it’s going to benefit everybody,” the president said. “It’s going to mostly benefit people looking for jobs more than anything else, because we’re giving great incentives.” Senate Republicans indi- cated that they still had a way to go to secure the votes. “We’re making progress, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. But we’re not there yet,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., front, with, from left, Sens. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, speaks to reporters following a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Monday. 2 Republican in the Senate. Pressed on timing, he said the expectation is a vote this week. A new congressional esti- mate says the Senate tax bill would add $1.4 trillion to the budget deficit over the next decade. But GOP leaders dispute the estimate, saying tax cuts will spur economic growth, reducing the hit on the deficit. Many economists disagree with such optimistic projec- tions. The trigger would be a way for senators to test their economic assumptions, with real consequences if they are wrong. “Do we have realistic numbers and is there a back- stop in the process just in case we don’t?” asked Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. “We should build in the ‘What if?’ What if this doesn’t work?” Lankford said. “What changes might be needed in the tax code in the days ahead to be able to adjust in what scenario?” Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the Trump administra- tion and Senate Republican leaders are open to some kind of a trigger to increase reve- nues if the tax plan falls short. Neither Corker nor Lankford spelled out exactly how the trigger would work, noting that senators are still working on the proposal. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said the trigger is possible. But, he added, the proposal could run afoul of the Senate’s byzantine budget rules. Trump and Senate Repub- licans scrambled Monday to make changes to the bill in an effort to win over holdout GOP senators and pass a tax package by the end of the year. Corker said he spoke to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and economic adviser Gary Cohn throughout the weekend, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was at his Senate office on Monday. “Very possible,” Corker said when asked if he might vote “no” in the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday if the revenue issue isn’t settled. “It’s important for me to know we’ve got this resolved,” he said. Johnson told Wisconsin reporters on Monday, “If we develop a fix prior to committee, I’ll probably support it, but if we don’t I’ll vote against it.” Trump and Senate leaders are trying to balance competing demands. While some senators fear the pack- age’s debt consequences, others want more generous tax breaks for businesses. In a boost for the legislation, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he would back the measure. Trump hosted Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee at the White House on Monday. GOP leaders were still trying to round up the votes in the Senate to pass the bill. Whatever the Senate passes must be reconciled with the House version of the tax bill. Trump suggested he is open to making unspecified changes to the way millions of “pass-through” businesses are taxed, a sticking point for some lawmakers. These are businesses in which profits are passed onto the owners, who report the income on their individual tax returns. The vast majority of U.S. businesses, big and small, are taxed this way. Two fight for control of consumer watchdog; judge yet to rule AP Photo/Susan Walsh President Donald Trump, right, meets Monday with Navajo Code Talkers Peter MacDon- ald, center, and Thomas Begay, left, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Trump, honoring Navajos, revives racial jab at Warren By LAURIE KELLMAN and CATHERINE LUCEY Associated Press WASHINGTON — Pres- ident Donald Trump returned to his own kind of code talking Monday by deriding Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas” at a White House event honoring Native American war heroes. “You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said as he honored three Navajo code talkers from World War II. And then he added, without naming Warren: “We have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas. But you know what, I like you.” In fact, Trump deployed that nickname for the Massa- chusetts senator repeatedly during the 2016 presidential campaign and, as president, as recently as a Nov. 3 tweet. Native American leaders have called Trump’s past attacks on Warren offen- sive and distasteful. Some Democrats have called the nickname racist. Trump made the comment as he stood near a portrait of President Andrew Jackson, which he hung in the Oval Office in January. Trump admires the seventh presi- dent’s populism. But Jackson also is known for signing the Indian Removal Act of 1830, in which the Cherokee Nation was removed from its lands in what is now known as the “trail of tears.” “We have a representative here in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas. But you know what, I like you.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States The Navajo Nation suggested Trump’s remark Monday was an example of “cultural insensitivity” and resolved to stay out of the “ongoing feud between the senator and President Trump.” “All tribal nations still battle insensitive references to our people. The preju- dice that Native American people face is an unfortunate historical legacy,” Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said in a statement. He added that the Navajo Nation remains honored by the White House recognition of the code talkers. White House spokes- woman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, asked about criticism of Trump’s remarks, said a racial slur “was certainly not the president’s intent.” But the remark is the latest in a long list of remarks Trump has made about people from specific ethnic and racial groups. Announcing his longshot campaign for president in 2015, Trump said many Mexican immigrants are rapists. He’s sought to ban immigrants from certain Muslim majority nations. He’s come under fire for what some said was a too-slow federal response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico. Trump also raised eyebrows for apparently having some fun in October with the name of the U.S. territory — “Puerrrto Rico,” he said — at an East Room event for Puerto Ricans. Those in the Oval Office for Monday’s event gave no visible reaction to Trump’s “Pocahontas” comments. But Warren and other Democrats were quick to respond. “This was supposed to be an event to honor heroes, people who put it all on the line for our country, who, because of their incredible work, saved the lives of countless Americans and our allies,” Warren said in an interview on MSNBC. “It is deeply unfortunate that the president of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without having to throw out a racial slur.” New Mexico Sen. Sen. Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Indian Affairs committee, added: “Donald Trump’s latest racist joke — during Native American Heritage Month no less — demeaned the contributions that the code talkers and countless other Native American patriots and citizens have made to our great country.” =Associated PRESS up or lock the doors are completely false,” WASHINGTON — With emails, tweets he said. “I am a member of the executive and doughnuts, the two dueling acting direc- branch of government. We intend to execute tors battled for control of the nation’s top the laws of the United States.” financial watchdog agency, the Consumer Mulvaney said the day went smoothly, Financial Protection Bureau, on Monday. though he noted the power struggle may be Leandra English, who was elevated to awkward for people who know English. interim director of the bureau Responding to news reports about late last week by its outgoing the conflicting leadership, he said, director, sent staff an email “There was one person today who offering Thanksgiving wishes. showed up at work claiming to be President Donald Trump’s choice director. She wasn’t here.” for the role — White House Meanwhile, in a show of budget director Mick Mulvaney support, top Senate Democrats — then emailed staff to tell them including Senate Minority to “disregard” any instructions Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. from English. Elizabeth Warren of Massachu- Laying down markers in what Mick Mulvaney setts, met with English. has quickly become a war of Earlier in the day, it was a optics, both signed their missives battle of optics as Mulvaney and “Acting Director.” English jostled for control via English has filed a lawsuit emails, tweets and doughnuts. seeking a temporary restraining Mulvaney arrived Monday order to block Mulvaney from morning at the agency with taking over the bureau. Judge doughnuts, and his staff tweeted out Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee photos of him meeting with agency approved recently by the Senate, division heads. Meanwhile, English heard arguments on the case late sent a department-wide email Monday afternoon but didn’t saying she hoped everyone had a Leandra English immediately rule. great Thanksgiving. The government planned to file Meanwhile, Mulvaney its response in the case Monday quickly responded to English’s email, night, and the judge said he’ll read the filing instructing CFPB staff to “disregard” any and “go from there.” directives from her. Mulvaney, speaking to reporters at English was promoted from chief of staff the bureau, announced he was imposing to deputy director by Richard Cordray as a 30-day freeze on hiring and new he prepared to resign last Friday. Cordray rulemaking. Despite previous comments was appointed to the position by President calling the agency a “joke” and an example Barack Obama and has been long criticized of bureaucracy run amok, he said the bureau by congressional Republicans for being would remain functioning. overzealous but lauded by consumer advo- “This agency will stay open. Rumors that cates for aggressively going after banks for I’m going to set the place on fire, or blow it wrongdoing, like in the case of Wells Fargo. 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