Political Quotes

“I am pleased to cosponsor, along with our esteemed Chairman, Senator Roth, a Senate Finance Committee bill to extend a package of expired tax provisions. Unfortunately, dealing with this group of expired tax items has become a routine annual event for the Committee and for the Congress. This bill extends universally popular items such as the credit for increasing research activities, the Work Opportunity Credit, and the deduction for gifts of appreciated stock to private foundations through June of next year. It is my hope that 1999 will be the year that the entire group of ``extenders'' are finally made permanent. We thank Senator Roth for ensuring that the Finance Committee is heard on this matter. Our action is a reminder that the United States Congress does not act, on tax bills or any other measures, as a unicameral legislature. Indeed, this Finance committee measure improves in several ways on the bill passed by the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday: First, we extend the Trade Assistance Program from October 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999. This is an important program established in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 that provides training and income support for workers adversely affected by import competition. It is a commitment we have made to workers, and it ought to be kept.”