Arizona Sen. John McCain issued a statement Thursday morning, saying though it is "far from perfect," he has decided to support the Senate tax reform bill.
McCain said he believes the legislation "would enhance American competitiveness, boost the economy, and provide long overdue tax relief for middle-class families."
Republicans are trying to get their plan to overhaul the US tax system through the Senate this week, but with 52 members in the chamber, GOP leaders can afford to lose only two votes.
As the bill heads to the Senate floor, a small group of Republicans have yet to show their full support for the bill, and Republicans are scrambling behind the scenes to reach just the right agreement that would get to 50 votes.
Republicans cleared a big hurdle earlier this week when the Senate Budget Committee approved the bill -- a move that was uncertain down to the last minute since Republicans weren't sure they had the 12 committee votes they needed.
Earlier this week, McCain applauded the Senate Finance Committee for passing the bill through "regular order" before Thanksgiving, but had complained that the bill was changing too frequently.
In his Thursday statement, McCain praised the bill's effect on small businesses and worker paychecks.
"I take seriously the concerns some of my Senate colleagues have raised about the impact of this bill on the deficit," McCain said. "However, it's clear this bill's net effect on our economy would be positive. This is not a perfect bill, but it is one that would deliver much-needed reforms to our tax code, grow the economy, and help Americans keep more of their hard-earned money."
