Boehner calls proposed tax overhaul fair

WASHINGTON -- The top Republican in the House says a recent proposal by GOP members of a special deficit committee is a "fair offer" despite criticism from conservatives who say it breaks the party's pledge on taxes.

"It's important for us in my opinion to reform the tax code," said Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), adding that a tax overhaul would "make America more competitive and produce economic growth."

And a top GOP member of the panel got some words of support from House Republicans yesterday morning after briefing rank-and-file Republicans on last week's GOP proposal, which called for a net tax revenue increase of almost $300 billion in exchange for significantly lowered tax rates.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), co-chairman of the deficit panel, said the badly divided group is still working in hopes of reaching an agreement.

"They haven't thrown me out, so I guess I got a good reception," Hensarling said of how House Republicans reacted to his status report on supercommittee talks. "I gave them an update, I told them we haven't lost hope yet but . . . this week is crucial."

The panel faces an official target of next Wednesday to approve a plan, but sometime this week is a more realistic deadline, given the realities of drafting proposals into legal language and getting them "scored" by congressional analysts to measure their impact on the deficit.

Last week's GOP plan has gotten a cold shoulder from GOP presidential hopefuls such as former Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Campaigning in Iowa, Gingrich said he would "do everything in my power to defeat" any committee deficit-reduction plan that includes higher taxes. -- AP