The issue for some Democrats, like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), his party's top tax writer, are provisions addressing the tax law's glitches -- a problem they are in no hurry to address. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Finance & Tax Democrats seem in no mood to give on GOP tax plan

Democrats hardly put out the welcome mat Tuesday for House Republicans’ last-minute tax package.

They complained vociferously about being blindsided by the proposal, saying they didn’t know what was in it until it was released to reporters.


Some Republicans rolled their eyes at those gripes, noting many of the proposals, such as changes in how the IRS operates, have long been backed by Democrats.

But Democrats singled out other provisions they said they didn’t see coming, such as ones addressing five glitches in last year’s tax overhaul — and said they don’t want to take those up until next year, when control of the House will give them more leverage in negotiations.

At the same time, senators warned their colleagues would surely have their own ideas of what else ought to be included in the legislation. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a tax writer and potential 2020 presidential candidate, added a big one Tuesday, demanding that any legislation address General Motors' announcement that it was laying off thousands of workers.

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Brown, whose constituents are among those hit by the GM cutbacks, blamed the company's decision on provisions in last year’s tax law that allows companies to pay less taxes on their foreign earnings than on their domestic profits.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), another tax writer, openly wondered if lawmakers have time to sort out all the differences before they adjourn for the year.

“The question is how you get it done in a very short period of time,” he told reporters.

Reactions came on the heels of House Republicans' release Monday night of a 297-page bill that would revive a host of expired tax breaks, address hitches in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and make changes to retirement- and savings-related tax provisions. Other parts would revamp the IRS, offer additional assistance to disaster victims and provide new breaks to startup businesses, among other items.

“We’re still in the game,” joked House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), referring to his side’s fleeting days in the majority. “I’m going to say that while I can.”

He added: “We’re hopeful that working with the Senate constructively that we can find a path for moving this bill to the president’s desk by the time Congress adjourns.”

He'll need help from Democrats in the Senate, and it’s unclear how much of a priority it is for them — or Senate Republican leaders — as they juggle a host of competing demands. When Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ticked off the major items on the lame-duck agenda Tuesday, he included judicial nominations, funding federal agencies and criminal justice, but did not mention taxes.

But, as House Republicans argued, many of the proposals, like those dealing with IRS administration, retirement and temporary tax breaks, already enjoy broad bipartisan support.

The issue for some Democrats, like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), his party's top tax writer, are provisions addressing the tax law's glitches. Many Democrats are in no hurry to fix the law after Republicans long blocked them from cleaning up the Affordable Care Act, and they want something substantial in exchange for allowing the fixes to pass. Earlier this year, when Democrats agreed to fix another problem in the tax law known as the “grain glitch,” they secured provisions beefing up a tax subsidy for affordable housing.

Brady countered the fixes, known as technical corrections, shouldn't be controversial.

“If Republicans and Democrats are serious about working together to govern, this would be a good example — on five very minor, small, noncontroversial technical corrections — to do that,” he told reporters.

A much larger challenge will be addressing Brown’s concerns. He wants to eliminate the gap between what multinational companies pay on their domestic and foreign profits, a big, complicated issue lawmakers have little chance of addressing this year.

Asked if that meant the rest of the tax package doesn’t get done, Brown said: “My focus, my priority is to eliminate this tax cut that’s going to cost every state jobs.”

House Republicans may vote on the proposal as soon as this week. The Rules Committee announced it will meet Wednesday to prep the bill as an amendment to an unrelated measure.