>> Bret: AS WE TOLD YOU
EARLIER, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS
FROM THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE
STILL WORKING THROUGH FINAL
VERSION ON TAX REFORM, VOTES ARE
EXPECTED NEXT WEEK.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITHIN
THAT PLAN, THE POLITICS AROUND
IT, AND ANOTHER KEY ISSUE WITH
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN AND SENATOR PRO TEM
>> Bret: FIRST ON TAX REFORM,
TODAY IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A
BIT OF A HICCUP IN THAT
SENATOR RUBIO FROM FLORIDA SAID
THIS.
SUPPORT TAX REFORM.
IT'S IMPORTANT.
>> Bret: CHILD TAX CREDIT,
BUMP THAT UP.
SENATORS RUBIO, CORKER, LEE,
FLAKE.
ALL SAYING SOMETHING AND YOU
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF NUMBERS.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?
>> WE HAVE TO WORK OUT THOSE
END OF THESE VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT APPROPRIATION BATTLES.
THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEBODY TRYING
TO GET SOMETHING MORE.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES,
CHILD CREDITS.
>> Bret: DO YOU THINK THAT'S
GOING TO GET WORKED OUT?
YOU'RE IN THE CONFERENCE.
THEY HAVE COME UP WITH SOMETHING
AND NOW THIS IS THE 11TH HOUR.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE GOOD FAITH ON
BOTH SIDES TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, WE'VE GOT TO
GET A RESULT IN ORDER TO GET THE
BILL PASSED.
SENATOR McCAIN,
SENATOR COCHRAN.
ARE THEY, DO YOU BELIEVE, GOING
TO BE BACK TO VOTE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
THEY HAVE COME BACK ON CRUCIAL
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THE
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THY
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THM
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THY
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THC
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THM
VOTES WITH A MERE -- SO THE
BACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE TO BUT
LET'S HOPE THEY CAN GET FEELING
BETTER.
>> Bret: WHAT WE'VE SEEN OUT
OF THE CONFERENCE PLAN, THE
DETAILS, IS THAT WHERE YOU THINK
THIS IS, THE 37% TOP RATE, 21%
CORPORATE RATE?
FINAL DAYS?
>> I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO
FIGHT IT STICKS PRETTY WELL.
WANTED 2020, RATHER THAN 21.
IT'S GOING TO BE A SEA CHANGE
COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE HAD AND
IT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR
REDUCTION IN TAXES.
WE WANT TO HOLD ON TO THAT AND I
THINK EVEN THE DEMOCRATS ARE
STARTING TO FEEL THAT WAY.
>> Bret: IS IT YOUR SENSE IT
WILL BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1,
2018?
>> I HOPE SO.
I HOPE SO.
THAT REMAINS TO BE DECIDED.
>> Bret: A LOT IN THESE FINAL
DAYS.
>> YEAH, THESE KINDS OF THINGS
ARE DIFFICULT.
I HAVE TO SAY McCONNELL, OUR
LEADER, IS A MASTER AT THIS.
HE HAS LOTS OF HELP FROM SOME OF
THE REST OF US TOO.
>> Bret: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE YOU'VE
BEEN FIGHTING FOR, THIS YOUNG
MAN FROM UTAH, JOSH HOLT,
25 YEARS OLD, PLEADING FOR HIS
LIFE.
HE'S BEEN IN JAIL IN VENEZUELA
ON A WEAPONS CHARGE FOR NOW
NEARLY 18 MONTHS.
>> IT WAS A PHONY CHARGE TO
BEGIN WITH.
THIS GUY IS A MORMON MISSIONARY
WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH A WOMAN
DOWN THERE IN VENEZUELA, WENT
THEY FRAMED HIM BY SAYING HE HAD
ILLEGAL WEAPONS IN HIS
POSSESSION.
HE'S A FINE YOUNG MAN AND HIS
PARENTS, I KNOW THEM WELL.
THEY ARE ANGUISHED OVER THIS
LIKE YOU CAN'T BELIEVE.
FOR THEIR PURPOSES, THEY HAVE
REALLY GIVEN HIM A ROUGH TIME.
>> Bret: HIS MOM TALKED TO US
LAST NIGHT.
>> I DON'T KNOW ELSE HOW TO GET
HELP, GO TO THE PUBLIC AND PUT
PRESSURE ON OUR GOVERNMENT TO DO
SOMETHING.
DO SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT
YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING.
>> Bret: TALK ABOUT YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, HOW
OFTEN YOU TALK TO THEM, HOW IT'S
ESTABLISHED.
>> WE TALK ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THEY ARE A WONDERFUL COUPLE.
IT'S A SHAME THEY HAVE TO GO
THROUGH THIS.
HE IS THE TYPE OF PERSON,
TOTALLY HONEST.
IT'S INEXCUSABLE FOR THEM TO DO
WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
IT INVOLVES POLITICS WITH THE
UNITED STATES, AND OUR
STATE DEPARTMENT HAS A ROUGH
TIME WITH PEOPLE IN VENEZUELA.
WE ARE NOT IN SYNC WITH THE
LEADERSHIP OF VENEZUELA AND THEN
THE CURRENT LEADER.
PROBLEMATIC FOR THE FAMILY.
>> Bret: HOW HAVE YOU USED
YOUR INFLUENCE, YOUR RANK,
SENATE PRO TEM, HIGHEST LEADER
SERVING IN THE SENATE.
AMBASSADORIAL TYPES.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS TO
BRING HIM HOME.
HE HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING WRONG.
THEY SHOULD LET HIM GO.
WE HAVE USED EVERY POSSIBLE
THING WE CAN DO TO GET THIS
TAKEN CARE OF BUT IT'S GOTTEN
INTO POLITICS AT THIS PARTICULAR
POINT.
PEOPLE IN VENEZUELA ARE TRYING
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR
COUNTRY.
THEY ARE MAD AT US, AND SO THEY
WILL TAKE IT OUT ON THIS POOR
YOUNG MAN AND HIS NEW BRIDE.
IT'S JUST REALLY PATHETIC.
>> Bret: HOPEFULLY THE DYNAMIC
SENATOR, ARE YOU DEFINITIVELY
RUNNING AGAIN?
>> WELL, I SAID I INTEND TO RUN
AGAIN.
I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT STUFF.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT COMMITTEE.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY I
KNOW WHAT I AM DOING THERE.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
WE WILL WAIT AND SEE.
I WILL PROBABLY ANNOUNCE
SOMETIME AFTER THE FIRST OF THE
YEAR, EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO
MITT ROMNEY HAS A POLITICAL
FUTURE?
>> I SURE DO.
IF I DIDN'T RUN, I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE THEM RUN IN MY PLACE AND HE
HAS INDICATED WE MIGHT APPEAR WE
ARE REALLY CLOSE FRIENDS.
THERE'S NO PROBLEM THERE.
MITT WOULD BE GOOD WHEREVER HE
SERVES.
HE IS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER AND A
WONDERFUL FELLOW.
SMART AS CAN BE.
>> Bret: SENATOR, LAST THING.
ARE WE GOING TO AVOID A
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AT THE END
WE WILL HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY
THROUGH THOSE RAINDROPS AND
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH
WITHOUT GETTING TOO WET AND GET
TYPE OF HOLDUPS.
IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME WE