Pence again delays Middle East trip for tax vote

WASHINGTON—Vice President Mike Pence on Monday rescheduled his trip to Israel and Egypt for next month while he awaits action on tax reform. Pence intended to depart Sunday for peace talks with regional leaders but last week rescheduled his departure for Tuesday evening because of the tax package vote. The House expects to vote on the bill Tuesday afternoon, and the Senate could vote as early as Tuesday evening. But Pence pushed his trip back to 2018 just to be safe. “The largest tax cut in American history is a landmark accomplishment for President Trump and a relief to millions of hardworking Americans,” Pence press secretary Alyssa Farah said in a statement. “The vice president is committed to seeing the tax cut through to the finish line.” Pence has been an integral part of the legislative process, often joining Senate Republicans during their caucus meetings to discuss policy. But with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., expected to miss votes this week while he recovers from cancer treatment, the GOP will only have 51 votes to work with. Senate leaders could ask Pence to break a tie if one lawmaker votes no. The vice president plans to depart for the Middle East on Jan. 14, but specific logistics are still pending.