Chuck Grassley: “Now, our leaders in both the House and the Senate need to back up the tax writers. We Senators need to pass a package…”

“Now, our leaders in both the House and the Senate need to back up the tax writers. We Senators need to pass a package that is agreeable to the President and to the House. What do we all agree on? We agree the patch needs to get done right now. So that is the base of what should pass the Senate, if we are to get a law enacted. House and Senate Democrats insist on offsets for a patch. The old joke is that you better make certain the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train coming toward you. Unfortunately, the joke is on the American people when it comes to the upcoming tax-filing season. Because of the failure of the Congress to act, the taxpayers are going to feel as if they have been hit by a freight train come April 15. The sad part is this was not necessary. Congress could have done the right thing. Congress could have acted. We have never in this century gone this late without passing the AMT patch and having it in place. The IRS and the Treasury have made it clear that the failure to act would cause very real problems in the filing season, in terms of confusion and in terms, especially, of a delay in providing taxpayers their refunds. I am astonished when I hear that some in the Democratic leadership are telling reporters these claims of a filing fiasco are all somehow a bluff.”