This week Congress continued to make progress on tax reform, with the conference committee working to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions. Republicans likely have the votes to pass it, although several Republican senators are publicly undecided about whether they will support the bill. Senator Corker, who previously voted against the bill, announced that he would support the final package, greatly boosting the bill's chance of success.
Some senators are struggling with whether the final package should include cuts to tax breaks for renewable energy, something that both the initial House and Senate versions contained. However, several states with largely Republican congressional representation, including some in the region such as Iowa, have booming renewable energy industries. There may be a growing push by members from these states to remove the provisions in the bill that eliminate incentives for ongoing renewable energy development.
