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found at: http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2004/11/21/ap/headlines/d86gjb980.txt

Lawmakers Hold Out Hope for Intel Bill
Posted: Sunday, Nov 21, 2004 - 05:05:12 pm PST
By JIM ABRAMS

SNIP

But there will be a delay in getting President Bush's signature. The hang-up is because of a single line in the bill that would have given two committee chairmen and their assistants access to people's income tax returns.

The Senate approved a resolution nullifying the idea; House leaders promised to pass it on Wednesday. Then, the spending bill will head to the White House.

"I have no earthly idea how it got in there," Frist said on "Fox News Sunday." "But, obviously, somebody is going to know, and accountability will be carried out."

Frist referred to the bill Saturday night as the "Istook amendment," and congressional aides said it was inserted at the request of Rep. Ernest Istook Jr., R-Okla.

Istook, chairman of the House Appropriations transportation subcommittee, said in a statement Sunday that the Internal Revenue Service drafted the language, which would not have allowed any inspections of tax returns. "Nobody's privacy was ever jeopardized," the statement said.

So, is this all a big to-do over nothing?

Be nice if freepers waited for all the facts before bashing anyone!

Istook, chairman of the House Appropriations transportation subcommittee, said in a statement Sunday that the Internal Revenue Service drafted the language, which would not have allowed any inspections of tax returns. "Nobody's privacy was ever jeopardized," the statement said.

Istook just proved he had no clue what HIS OWN amendment included. Instead of fiddling around and luncheons and cocktail parties, these people the voters send to do the peoples work should do the peoples work and not hob-knob with media elites and Hollyweird clowns in their off hours.

The hang-up is because of a single line in the bill that would have given two committee chairmen and their assistants access to people's income tax returns.

So if Mrs. Clinton gets the committee chairmanship, she and her aides would have such power.

Istook, chairman of the House Appropriations transportation subcommittee, said in a statement Sunday that the Internal Revenue Service drafted the language, which would not have allowed any inspections of tax returns.

Huh? Then why are we having this discussion?

"Nobody's privacy was ever jeopardized," the statement said.

That is certainly true but only because the provision got axed, correct?