Congress moves closer to final tax bill with House vote

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted on Monday to go to conference on tax legislation with the Senate, moving Congress another step closer to a final bill.

The House voted 222-192 to go to conference with the Senate, setting up formal negotiations on the legislation that could take weeks to complete. Seven Republicans voted "no."

The Republican-led Senate was expected to hold a similar conference vote later this week.

House Speaker Paul Ryan named nine fellow Republican House members to the conference committee, including Kevin Brady, head of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, who will chair it.

The other Republican representatives Ryan appointed were: Rob Bishop, Diane Black, Kristi Noem, Devin Nunes, Peter Roskam, John Shimkus, Greg Walden and Don Young.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi appointed five members of her party: Kathy Castor, Lloyd Doggett, Raúl Grijalva, Sander Levin, Richard Neal.

The Senate narrowly approved its version of the tax overhaul early on Saturday, moving President Donald Trump a step closer to realizing one of his main campaign promises. The House passed its bill last month.

The overhaul would be the largest change to U.S. tax laws since the 1980s. Republicans want to add $1.4 trillion over 10 years to the $20 trillion national debt to finance changes that they say would boost an already growing economy.

(Reporting by David Morgan and Amanda Becker; Editing by Leslie Adler)