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A House Democratic lawmaker attempted Monday to force a House floor vote on a resolution to request President Trumps tax returns, but the effort failed on a party line vote, 229-185, with two Republicans voting "present."
The move was the latest in a series of Democratic efforts to push Congress to request Trumps tax returns, and Democrats demanded a roll call vote to force Republicans to go on the record.
The two Republicans who voted present were Reps. Walter Jones (N.C.) and Mark Sanford (S.C.). Sanford is one of the Republican lawmakers who has in the past called for Trump to release his returns.
After the vote, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) fired at the GOP.
Tonight, House Republicans made themselves accomplices to hiding President Trumps tax returns from the American people," she said.
Our security and our democracy have been endangered by Russias clear influence on the Trump Administration. The American people deserve the truth about Russias personal, political and financial grip on President Trump. If theres nothing there, then what are Republicans afraid of?
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) offered a resolution that would have directed the House to request 10 years of Trumps tax returns, have the House Ways and Means Committee review them in a closed session and then vote to send the information in the returns to the full House.
Under federal tax law, the chairmen of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees and the Joint Committee on Taxation can request tax returns from Treasury to be considered in a closed meeting.
The resolution would also direct the House to support transparency in government and the longstanding tradition of Presidents and Presidential candidates disclosing their tax returns.
Pascrell isn't the only House Democrat this week trying to force a vote that would begin the process of investigating Trump.
The House Judiciary Committee will consider a resolution from Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday that would demand the Justice Department to hand over documents regarding Trump's business conflicts of interest and possible ties to Russia.
Nadler invoked a rarely used procedure that automatically triggers a House floor vote if the resolution isn't considered in committee within 14 legislative days.