Democrats’ Fight Against Tax Bill Led by Senate Number Cruncher

Sen. Jeff Merkley is ready to wage the backroom fight against Republicans’ tax-and-spending bill.

Merkley, a former Congressional Budget Office analyst, took over as ranking member of the Budget Committee earlier this year. He hopes his close study of congressional budget law and history allows the Senate to reject parts of the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill.

“In the minority, we have a very important role to play in taking on the misuse of reconciliation,” Merkley said in an interview in his Capitol Hill hideaway, referring to the process Republicans are using that allows them to pass trillions in tax cuts ...