Grover Norquist to remind House GOP of commitments under anti-tax pledge

Grover Norquist will meet with House Republicans next week to remind them of the commitments they made when they signed his anti-tax pledge, a Hill source confirmed.

All but six members of the House Republican conference have signed the pledge from Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform. Lawmakers who sign it agree to oppose all tax increases and any reduction in credits or loopholes that are not paired with equal reduction in tax rates. 

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) will host the event, which will give Norquist a chance to explain to members and staff the meaning of the pledge, the source said.

Norquist has been battling defections from the pledge this year. The event will give him a chance to remind Republicans of their promises on taxes as the House prepares to take up an extension of the Bush-era tax rates. Congress is also preparing an overhaul of the individual and corporate tax codes. 

This spring, 16 Republicans voted for a budget based on the Bowles-Simpson deficit plan that would have raised net tax revenue for the purpose of deficit reduction. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) this week suggested Republicans should consider new revenue as well, and said he disagreed with the pledge on the issue of using revenue to reduce the deficit. 

Proponents of a deficit grand bargain have demonized Norquist as standing in the way of a bipartisan agreement. Norquist has countered that in past deficit deals, Democrats get tax increases and then renege on future spending cuts. 

A source said the purpose of the event is purely "education."

The meeting was first reported by The Daily Caller. 

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