WASHINGTON -- Syracuse University officials say U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney spread "categorically false" information this week about the university's position on the Republican tax plan making its way through Congress.

Tenney, R-New Hartford, defended her vote for the GOP bill in a live interview Wednesday on Utica radio station WUTQ-FM (100.7).

"If this was bad for college students and colleges, why would Syracuse University, the largest higher educational institution in our region, why are they supporting the tax plan?" Tenney said.

SU, in fact, has publicly criticized the Republican tax overhaul because it would end tax deductions for interest paid on student loans, tax tuition benefits received by graduate students and the children of university employees, and impose a 1.4 percent excise tax on investment income from college endowments.

"To be clear: To suggest that Syracuse University has endorsed or supports the tax reform legislation currently making its way through congress is categorically false," SU Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie said in a statement Friday.

SU Chancellor Kent Syverud outlined his concerns in a letter sent Nov. 20 to Rep. John Katko and shared by email with students, faculty and staff.

A spokeswoman for Tenney said Friday that she mistakenly believed an online student opinion column in The Daily Orange, the campus newspaper, was expressing the view of SU's administration on the tax plan.

"Rep. Tenney misspoke during an interview Wednesday morning about Syracuse University's position on the tax reform plan," said Hannah Andrews, speaking for Tenney. "She apologizes for any confusion that this may have caused and fully understands the university's position on the tax plan."

Andrews said she called university officials on behalf of Tenney to apologize for the mistake.

In the same radio interview, Tenney correctly noted that an editorial published by syracuse.com and The Post-Standard was supportive of the tax plan.

Haynie, in his statement, said that Syverud has publicly stated that SU "has grave policy concerns" about the tax overhaul and could result in "serious budgetary impacts for the university."

Katko, R-Camillus, also voted for the House version of the tax overhaul bill, but has been trying to persuade GOP leaders to make changes in conference committee negotiations with members of the Senate.

Katko was among about 30 Republican House members who signed a letter Thursday to House and Senate GOP leaders asking them to keep the income exclusion for graduate tuition waivers.

"A tax on graduate tuition waivers would be unfair, would undermine our competitive position, and would inhibit the economic growth that tax reform promises," Katko and his colleagues wrote in the letter.

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