Rand Paul to Return to Senate Monday

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said he will return to the Senate on Monday after a week recuperating at home from injuries he suffered in what police say was an attack by a longtime neighbor.

Mr. Paul's return to work will ease Republicans' efforts to line up votes for a major package of tax changes, a top priority of the party's congressional caucus and President Donald Trump.

"While I'm still in a good deal of pain, I will be returning to work in the Senate today, ready to fight for liberty and help move forward with tax cuts in the coming days and weeks," the Republican senator, who spent last week at home in Kentucky while the Senate was in session, wrote on Twitter Monday.

Police say Rene Boucher, 59 years old and a longtime neighbor of Mr. Paul, came onto Mr. Paul's property on Nov. 3 and attacked him from behind. Mr. Boucher has pleaded not guilty to the charges; His attorney has said the dispute stemmed from a "trivial" disagreement between neighbors.

Mr. Paul's chief political adviser, Doug Stafford, said the senator suffered several serious rib fractures that made it difficult for him to travel back to Washington. He called the incident a "violent attack" and said Mr. Paul was "blindsided" by Mr. Boucher. Mr. Stafford said the two men hadn't had any interactions for years.

The House and the Senate this week are putting the finishing touches on an ambitious package of changes to the U.S. tax code that would reduce tax rates on businesses and many individuals, as well as simplify the tax code by eliminating certain deductions.

The House is expected to vote this week on its tax reform proposal. The Senate is expected to vote later this month on its version of the bill. In the Senate, Republicans can lose no more than two votes on any tax bill that doesn't draw Democratic support, making Mr. Paul's vote critical to its passage.

Write to Byron Tau at byron.tau@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 13, 2017 12:03 ET (17:03 GMT)