Posted on 03/08/2002 6:22:04 AM PST by fm1
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate passed and sent to
President Bush Friday a recession relief package extending jobless benefits and providing billions of dollars in business tax cuts. Bush called it "a very good bill" even though it is far less than he wanted.
The final vote for approval was 85-9 and came a day after the bill cleared the House by 417-3. The swift action followed months of partisan gridlock that saw three previous House-passed versions blocked in the Senate.
"The unemployed and struggling businesses have had to wait too long for the good news," said Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.
Bush did not get several major elements he wanted, including accelerated income tax cuts, a new round of rebate checks, repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax or a tax credit to help the jobless buy health insurance. But the president said he was eager to sign it into law.
"We've had too much nonmovement on this important issue, and it's time to go," Bush said Thursday.
The bill, said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, is "very similar to what we have introduced and supported and voted for and advocated."
The Senate vote came a day after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan presented a more upbeat economic forecast than he had a week earlier. Given the size of the U.S. economy, Greenspan told the Senate Banking Committee, the relatively modest stimulus package would have little impact on recession recovery.
"I doubt very much that the economy, if it didn't get a stimulus, would sag," Greenspan said.
The Senate Budget Committee chairman, Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said those comments illustrate how difficult it is for Congress to act on recession relief.
"Every single time we've tried to do it, we've moved too late," he said.
Others complained that some of the business tax cuts would cost states $14.6 billion over the next three years, because many states base their corporate tax structures on the federal system.
"It will no doubt be hurtful to the states," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
If that is true, why can't the states change their tax laws to negate that fact? Hmmmmmm?
"It will no doubt be hurtful to the states," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
I feel yer pain, Jay. On the other hand, smaller government typically means a more efficient government.
Too bad for Duschnozzle and the demoRats, they've got no issue to run on. Boo hoo
Because the Dimocrats would rather have an issue to take into the elections, than solve a problem! Dimocrats don't care about the umemployed, or struggling businesses.
YEAS --- 85 Akaka Ensign McConnell Allard Feinstein Murkowski Allen Fitzgerald Murray Baucus Frist Nelson (FL) Bayh Graham Nelson (NE) Bennett Gramm Nickles Biden Grassley Reed Bingaman Gregg Reid Bond Hagel Roberts Boxer Harkin Santorum Brownback Hatch Sarbanes Bunning Helms Schumer Burns Hollings Sessions Campbell Hutchinson Shelby Cantwell Hutchison Smith (NH) Carnahan Inhofe Smith (OR) Cleland Jeffords Snowe Clinton Johnson Specter Cochran Kerry Stabenow Collins Kohl Stevens Corzine Kyl Thomas Craig Landrieu Thompson Crapo Leahy Thurmond Daschle Lieberman Torricelli DeWine Lincoln Voinovich Domenici Lott Warner Dorgan Lugar Wellstone Durbin McCain Wyden Edwards NAYS --- 9 Byrd Conrad Feingold Carper Dayton Levin Chafee Dodd Rockefeller NOT VOTING --- 6 Breaux Inouye Mikulski Enzi Kennedy Miller
I hate to say this but this is what Daschle had proposed in January. I guess Bush can call it a victory for him because most won't know better but personally, I'd say Daschle won this one. It's what he wanted and now he can't be labeled an obstructionist. Oh well, it's probably neither here nor there.
Remember snowe and collins just a couple of years back, voting like kennedy clones. If only senators came up for reelection every six months.
Thanks,
Nukem
What that is a surprise! < /sarcasm>
F'in'-no-good-RINO!
Bush, despite having to water down the bill, still has the political notch under his belt, and the RNC gets to run commercials over and over saying
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