The Hill News

Most Republican senators will endorse the preliminary tax-cut deal struck with President Obama, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said Tuesday. 

McConell told reporters that he expects Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to bring up the tax-cut deal imminently, and then other Senate businesses can be dealt with.

“My assumption is, we'll be dealing with it sometime soon,” McConnell said. “I feel this is the right step to take for the American people and the vast majority of my members will be supporting it.”

McConnell and other Republican leaders framed the deal, which will extend all of the Bush-era tax cuts for two years and benefits to the unemployed for 13 months, as a way to help the economy.

The tax cuts, signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003. are scheduled to expire at the end of 2010.