Story highlights In a GOP tax reform framework, the state and local tax deduction is scrapped

Republicans in states with high property taxes are against this proposal

Washington (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday defended the GOP tax plan's elimination of the state and local tax deduction, which has become a major sticking point as Republicans from high-tax states aim to keep the deduction in place.

Ryan, who was asked about it in a Heritage Foundation Forum in Washington, described the issue as "the thing we have to get over."

"The general interest is going to have to trump over the special interest," the Wisconsin Republican said.

The deduction is a popular tax break that affects nearly one-third of filers and lets them deduct levies like state income taxes and property taxes. It's been in place since the federal income tax was created in 1913 and has survived previous efforts to eliminate it.

Republican leaders have been hearing out the concerns of Republicans from states like New York, New Jersey, California and Illinois in recent weeks. It's unclear whether the plan will continue to entirely nix the deduction or whether a compromise will be struck.

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