House Democrats escalate effort to obtain Trump tax returnsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats on Tuesday tried but failed to pressure Republicans into seeking President Donald Trump’s tax returns, saying the scandal over Michael Flynn made it imperative to find out whether the president has business ties to Russia. A day after the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee dismissed the idea, the panel’s Democrats proposed an amendment demanding that the committee ask the Treasury Department for copies of Trump’s returns by March 1. “Unless this amendment is adopted, we will never see the president’s tax returns while he’s in office,” Representative Sander Levin, a Michigan Democrat, told committee Chairman Kevin Brady at a public hearing.  “Before you stonewall this, I urge you to think twice,” Levin added. “You’ll only keep the issue... alive. Brady strongly rejected the request as an abuse of the committee’s authority. Minutes later, committee rejected the amendment along party lines in a 23-15 vote. The vote represents only the latest skirmish between Republicans and Democrats in Congress over whether lawmakers should review Trump’s tax returns, which critics say would help determine whether the president’s sprawling business empire poses any conflicts of interest. House Democratic aides say the political battle will continue. The resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on Monday intensified Democratic interest in the documents, with one lawmaker warning about the potential danger of blackmail.   Representative Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat, issued the first request for Trump’s returns in a Feb. 1 letter that Brady rejected on Monday. Experts say federal law authorizes the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation to examine individual tax returns. The two other panels are headed by Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican who dismissed the idea of seeking Trump’s returns last week. House Republicans contend that the authority to examine tax returns was meant to ensure the proper administration of the tax code. Democrats contend that Trump’s business empire involves state-owned enterprises in China and the United Arab Emirates, as well as other interests in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Taiwan and the Philippines.  politicsNews
house democrats escalate effort obtain trump tax returnswashington reuters congressional democrats tuesday tried failed pressure republicans seeking president donald trump tax returns saying scandal michael flynn made imperative find whether president business ties russia a day republican chairman house representatives ways means committee dismissed idea panel democrats proposed amendment demanding committee ask treasury department copies trump returns march unless amendment adopted never see president tax returns office representative sanders kevin michigan democrat told committee chairman kevin brady public hearing before stonewall i urge think twice kevin added you keep issue alive brady strongly rejected request abuse committee authority minutes later committee rejected amendment along party lines vote the vote represents latest skirmish republicans democrats congress whether lawmakers review trump tax returns critics say would help determine whether president sprawling business empire poses conflicts interest house democratic aides say political battle continue the resignation national security adviser michael flynn monday intensified democratic interest documents one lawmaker warning potential danger blackmail representative bill pascrell new jersey democrat issued first request trump returns letter brady rejected monday experts say federal law authorizes house ways means committee senate finance committee joint committee taxation examine individual tax returns the two panels headed senator train hatch utah republican dismissed idea seeking trump returns last week house republicans contend authority examine tax returns meant ensure proper administration tax code democrats contend trump business empire involves enterprises china united arab emirates well interests russia saudi arabia turkey taiwan philippines politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: House Democrats escalate effort to obtain Trump tax returnsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats on Tuesday tried but failed to pressure Republicans into seeking President Donald Trump’s tax returns, saying the scandal over Michael Flynn made it imperative to find out whether the president has business ties to Russia. A day after the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee dismissed the idea, the panel’s Democrats proposed an amendment demanding that the committee ask the Treasury Department for copies of Trump’s returns by March 1. “Unless this amendment is adopted, we will never see the president’s tax returns while he’s in office,” Representative Sander Levin, a Michigan Democrat, told committee Chairman Kevin Brady at a public hearing.  “Before you stonewall this, I urge you to think twice,” Levin added. “You’ll only keep the issue... alive. Brady strongly rejected the request as an abuse of the committee’s authority. Minutes later, committee rejected the amendment along party lines in a 23-15 vote. The vote represents only the latest skirmish between Republicans and Democrats in Congress over whether lawmakers should review Trump’s tax returns, which critics say would help determine whether the president’s sprawling business empire poses any conflicts of interest. House Democratic aides say the political battle will continue. The resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on Monday intensified Democratic interest in the documents, with one lawmaker warning about the potential danger of blackmail.   Representative Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat, issued the first request for Trump’s returns in a Feb. 1 letter that Brady rejected on Monday. Experts say federal law authorizes the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation to examine individual tax returns. The two other panels are headed by Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican who dismissed the idea of seeking Trump’s returns last week. House Republicans contend that the authority to examine tax returns was meant to ensure the proper administration of the tax code. Democrats contend that Trump’s business empire involves state-owned enterprises in China and the United Arab Emirates, as well as other interests in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Taiwan and the Philippines.  politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: house democrats escalate effort obtain trump tax returnswashington reuters congressional democrats tuesday tried failed pressure republicans seeking president donald trump tax returns saying scandal michael flynn made imperative find whether president business ties russia a day republican chairman house representatives ways means committee dismissed idea panel democrats proposed amendment demanding committee ask treasury department copies trump returns march unless amendment adopted never see president tax returns office representative sanders kevin michigan democrat told committee chairman kevin brady public hearing before stonewall i urge think twice kevin added you keep issue alive brady strongly rejected request abuse committee authority minutes later committee rejected amendment along party lines vote the vote represents latest skirmish republicans democrats congress whether lawmakers review trump tax returns critics say would help determine whether president sprawling business empire poses conflicts interest house democratic aides say political battle continue the resignation national security adviser michael flynn monday intensified democratic interest documents one lawmaker warning potential danger blackmail representative bill pascrell new jersey democrat issued first request trump returns letter brady rejected monday experts say federal law authorizes house ways means committee senate finance committee joint committee taxation examine individual tax returns the two panels headed senator train hatch utah republican dismissed idea seeking trump returns last week house republicans contend authority examine tax returns meant ensure proper administration tax code democrats contend trump business empire involves enterprises china united arab emirates well interests russia saudi arabia turkey taiwan philippines politicsnews