MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said the failure to repeal and replace Obamacare has put "a lot more impetus" on passing tax reform in Congress.
"I'm feeling very positive about the tax plan," said Capito, R-WV, who was in Martinsburg on Friday to attend the kickoff reception for the 42nd biennial convention of West Virginia Federation of Republican Women hosted by the Gateway Republican Women.
"To get the economy moving more positively, and to get us out of this stagnation, I think that everybody will get tax relief, hardworking families are going to get great tax relief ... small businesses and I think it will create more jobs, better wages and a fairer tax system," Capito said.
When asked about fiscal conservatives' concerns about paying for the tax cuts, Capito said she comes from the school of thought that economic growth will offset lost revenue.
"If we get a good growth rate, I think we're going to grow our way out of that," Capito said. "A lot of companies aren't spending money, just look at the companies that have parked their dollars overseas — we bring that back and invest in this country, I just think there's so much upside."
Capito disputed Democrats' criticisms that the tax cuts benefit the wealthy and wouldn't benefit the lower middle class.
"The rates are going to be compressed — most people are going to be paying lower rates and it's going to be simpler, and I think people are yearning for a simpler tax code," Capito said.
Unlike health care, Capito said the House of Representatives, the Senate and President Donald Trump are "all on the same page," with the tax-cut proposals.
"You really didn't see that with health care, there were a lot of different plans going," Capito said.
Capito also noted that the tax proposal is following procedural order and will be vetted by the committees, affording both Democrats and Republicans the opportunity to amend the legislation, a process that the health care legislation didn't follow.
Given the approaching 2018 election year, Capito said she hopes the tax cuts can be passed before the year's end.
As the first female Republican elected to Congress from West Virginia in 2000, Capito said many of the women attending the state Federation of Republican Women convention in Martinsburg helped her when she embarked on her first campaign.
"West Virginia's changed dramatically since I first started running (for political office)," said Capito, who was emcee of the program portion of Friday night's reception.
Among those attending Friday's event were National Federation of Republican Women President Carrie Almond, U.S. Senate candidates Jack Newbrough and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, state Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas and GOP National Committeewoman Melody Potter.
Gateway Republican Women President Lynn Staton said Friday that all announced Senate candidates were invited to attend and speak at Friday's reception at the Martinsburg Holiday Inn.
Parked outside the hotel for the event was "Rosie," the campaign bus for the National Federation of Republican Women, which traveled to about 2,200 rallies in 39 states in the course of 207 days, Almond said.