Trump, Hill leaders disagree on name for upcoming tax reform bill

ABC News(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump has told senior congressional leadership that he wants to name the forthcoming tax reform bill the “The Cut Cut Cut Act,” a senior administration official tells ABC News.

Less than 24 hours before the bill is slated to be revealed, the name of the bill has still not been settled and there is still dispute over the name, according to a senior congressional aide and a senior White House official. The sources said it’s been decided that the Ways and Means Committee will have the final say over the name.

Still, behind closed doors, there has been back-and-forth between House Speaker Paul Ryan, and House Ways and Means chairman Kevin Brady about the naming of the bill, including multiple phone calls in the past week.

Ryan initially kicked the naming over to Trump because of his penchant towards branding, according to a senior Hill aide.

Ryan and Brady have pushed back on the naming of the bill. However, Trump has held firm.

Trump has been insistent that the bill be called “The Cut Cut Cut Act.”

Internal White House polling has showed that Americans respond more favorably to language that highlights tax cuts over tax reform, according to a senior White House official.

“At the end of the day this will be known as the ‘Trump tax cuts,’” said the senior Hill aide about the final naming.

Both Brady’s and Ryan’s offices declined to comment.

The White House has not yet responded to ABC News’ request for comment.

A senior aide in the speaker’s office called the branding of the bill a “total non-issue.”

Asked whether it’s unusual for the White House to take a role in the branding of legislation, the aide explained that “with a Republican president it seems you’d want to have involvement.”

“The fact that he wanted to name the bill, that is hilarious and perfectly illustrates how — in things both large and small — the Hill can’t quite figure out Trump,” said a person with direct knowledge of the dispute.

Congress is set to reveal their much anticipated tax reform plan on Thursday, even though many details are still being ironed out such as the threshold for curbing state and local tax deductions, limits on retirement plans like 401(k), child tax credits and property tax deductions.

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl contributed to this report.

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