The White House - 1600 Daily: Tax reform in time for Christmas

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit the U.S. Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet in Riviera Beach, Florida | November 23, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

Tax reform in time for Christmas
With the holiday season upon us, President Donald J. Trump is working hard with Congress to cut taxes for middle-income families and fix our Nation's broken tax code in time for Christmas. The new bill – currently making its way through the Senate – will slash taxes by some $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years and is projected to boost household incomes significantly after nearly two decades of stagnation. The new code will allow families to spend more of their hard-earned dollars toward the success of their children, while restoring America's competitive business edge and stimulating job growth. 

Today, the President is meeting to discuss the bill with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) of the Senate Finance Committee. The Administration is pleased with the growing momentum behind passing these historic tax reforms, and it looks forward to continuing to support the Senate in getting this important work done as quickly as possible. 

President visits with service members on Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving Day, President Trump traveled to Station Lake Worth Inlet in Palm Beach County, Florida, to visit Coast Guard service members and hosted a video teleconference with U.S. military personnel on missions abroad. The President spoke with members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard gathered on the video conference from bases in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Turkey, as well as from ships in the middle of the ocean. President Trump expressed his gratitude on behalf of the American people for these heroes’ dedication to our country. 

“It’s an honor to speak with you all and to give God thanks for the blessings of freedom and for the heroes who really have this tremendous courage that you do to defend us and to defend freedom,” said the President. 

Following the teleconference, President Trump visited with the Coast Guard and thanked them for their life-saving efforts following the recent hurricanes. “You saved a lot of people, and I just want to thank you on behalf of the whole country,” said President Trump. 

 

See more from the visit here.

 

Announcing Christmas 2017 at the White House
Today, First Lady Melania Trump officially unveils Christmas season at the White House. This year’s theme, “Time-Honored Traditions,” includes a tribute to service members with the Gold Star Family Tree, historic pieces celebrating the holiday tradition of dining and hospitality, and a nod to the first themed White House Christmas, the “Nutcracker Suite” in 1961. The State Dining Room holds the famous gingerbread house, which depicts the South facade of the White House and features Mrs. Trump’s signature Christmas wreaths. 

“The President, Barron, and I are very excited for our first Christmas in the White House,” said Mrs. Trump. “As with many families across the country, holiday traditions are very important to us. I hope when visiting the People’s House this year, visitors will get a sense of being home for the holidays. On behalf of my husband and Barron, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and joyous holiday season.” 

Read more about Christmas at the White House 2017 here, and watch First Lady Melania Trump unveil this year's Christmas decorations.

POTUS TODAY

Today President Trump is having lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Senate Finance Committee before hosting an event in the Oval Office honoring Native American code talkers. Later in the afternoon, the President will meet with Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
Vice President Mike Pence participated in a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan this morning and later will join a meeting with the leadership of General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler.

COMING UP

Tomorrow, President Trump will visit the US Capitol to discuss tax reform with Senate GOP.
This week, Vice President Pence will deliver the keynote address at a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the historic United Nations vote calling for the establishment of a Jewish State. Meanwhile, Ivanka Trump is leading a U.S. delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India, to promote female entrepreneurship.