GREENVILLE — Republican U.S. Sen Tim Scott and Ivanka Trump spent an hour Friday discussing the federal tax overhaul with women from throughout the state.
Scott and Trump were joined by nearly 200 women at the Westin Poinsett Hotel in Greenville for the Frances Scott Women in Leadership forum, an event Scott created in honor of his mother. Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy also attended.
MaryAnn Riley, a longtime Spartanburg Republican activist, expressed how impressed she was by the number of women of all ages who took the time to attend.
"I think it's wonderful that these women, who are all movers and shakers and all have common concerns, came here today," she said. "We were able to come together like this, and get energy from one another today. It's like watching a football game on television versus in person."
Riley said she thought the forum was a good opportunity to better understand the recently approved tax bill.
"I think (Scott and Trump) were able to wonderfully express the benefits, especially for those who are single, working mothers," she said. "Here, we're able to see that we all have similar problems, and there's no one solution."
Trump, a senior White House adviser and the president's oldest daughter, spoke about Scott's work on individual tax reform and the impact that it's expected to have on the middle class.
"Senator Scott was a true champion on the individual side and really spearheaded what tax relief would look like for middle-income families and middle-income workers," she said. "We wanted to cut corporate taxes so our businesses could thrive, but we also wanted to ensure middle income tax relief."
Trump said the tax bill is meant to serve two purposes. The first is to enable businesses to be competitive on a global scale. The second, and what she and Scott spent the most time discussing, was to help middle-class families by way of doubling the child tax credit, which they said will create greater school choice for families.
Previously, a 529 account was a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future college costs. Under the tax reform bill, these accounts are available for primary and secondary education, Trump said.
"There's been major legislative expansion of school choice," she said. "This will empower parents to use those 529 accounts at a younger age for their children."