Boehner's Thoughts On Dave Camp's Tax Reform: A Conversation Starter

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, on Thursday did not endorse the tax reform plan produced by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich. Instead, Boehner called the proposal a "conversation starter."

“The conversation has started,” Boehner said during his weekly briefing. “We should allow the conversation to continue.”

Still, the speaker said reforming the current, cumbersome tax code is important for spurring economic growth and job creation. But moving such big legislation cannot happen without dialogue, he said.

Camp’s 979-page draft would whittle down the current seven tax brackets to two and reduce rates to 10 percent and 25 percent. It would also reduce the 35 percent corporate tax rate to 25 percent, a move welcomed by many businesses and their associations.

At the moment, the Republican-led House of Representatives remains focused on dismantling the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats want to move from the defensive to finding ways to improve the law.

“All they seem to want to do is talk about ACA and the rest of that,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “They should end their obsession with repealing the landmark law. There isn’t a bill that has passed that we wouldn’t say any improvements, especially implementation, [are needed].”

Pelosi said Democrats have their eyes set on getting some action on renewing unemployment insurance, raising the minimum wage and comprehensive immigration reform.