To secure a compromise on a COVID-19 relief bill, both parties in
Congress had to trade some proverbial "horses," even if one side viewed the other's as "unconscionable."
That's the word Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) used to describe the GOP's White House-backed tax break for corporate meal expenses, per The
Washington Post. Proponents of the tax break, including
President Trump, argue it will help boost activity for restaurants, but critics have derisively labeled it the "three-martini lunch" deduction, claiming it will really benefit business executives rather than the dining industry. But despite staunch
Democratic opposition, it worked its way into the draft relief bill that Congress is hoping to pass soon.
The reason? Democratic leaders caved on the controversial tax break because their
Republican counterparts agreed to expand tax credits for low-income families and the working poor in exchange for its inclusion, a Democratic aide told The
Washington Post on condition of anonymity. Read more at The Washington Post.