Trump hails tax win: ‘Look forward to signing a final bill before Christmas!’

President Trump celebrated passage of the Senate GOP tax plan early Saturday morning, tweeting his desire to sign a final bill before Christmas.

“We are one step closer to delivering MASSIVE tax cuts for working families across America,” Trump wrote in a tweet shortly before 3 a.m.

“Look forward to signing a final bill before Christmas!” he added.

We are one step closer to delivering MASSIVE tax cuts for working families across America. Special thanks to @SenateMajLdr Mitch McConnell and Chairman @SenOrrinHatch for shepherding our bill through the Senate. Look forward to signing a final bill before Christmas! pic.twitter.com/gmWTny3SfS

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2017

Senators voted 51-49 to pass the tax overhaul shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday, handing Republicans a desperately needed legislative win as the final months of Trump’s first year in office wind to an end.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.

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Trump tweeted a “special thanks” to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) for shepherding the tax bill through the upper chamber.

Trump has had a fraught relationship with McConnell in the past, with tensions strained after two major GOP efforts to repeal ObamaCare failed in the Senate earlier this year.

But Republicans were more upbeat leading up to the vote Saturday. Trump took a hands-on approach ahead of the vote, meeting earlier in the week with key senators, including leadership and GOP holdouts.

Trump thanked both House and Senate Republicans for their “hard work and commitment” in another tweet later Saturday morning.

Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history just passed in the Senate. Now these great Republicans will be going for final passage. Thank you to House and Senate Republicans for your hard work and commitment!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2017

White House legislative affairs director Marc Short was also spotted outside the Senate chamber in the hours leading up to the vote, while Vice President Pence presided over the vote itself and hailed the passage of the bill.

With Republicans holding 52 seats in the Senate, McConnell could only afford two GOP defections and still have Pence cast a tie-breaking vote on the tax plan. That left little room for error.

In the end, Corker was the only GOP senator to break ranks and vote against the tax plan. The Tennessee Republican had led a group of deficit hawks expressing concerns about the bill adding to the nation’s deficit and said that while he “wanted to get to yes” he continued to have fiscal concerns.

Republican senators will now move to reconcile their legislation with the House’s version, passed in mid-November, as they seek to put a final bill on Trump’s desk later this month.

— Updated 7:58 a.m.