John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Chairman, the point of order triggers a debate and a vote on the question of consideration. It makes Congress take…”

“Mr. Chairman, the point of order triggers a debate and a vote on the question of consideration. It makes Congress take notice and make informed decisions about whether or not to proceed. The Dreier amendment changes the whole picture. It says we should ignore real costs to private companies and individuals as long as that revenue generated is fully spent in tax or tariff reductions. A tax on coal deserves debate on its own, but if it is coupled with a tax break for ethanol, it suddenly is not worth Congress' attention. The Dreier language says that we have to know how the revenue was spent before we know whether a tax or a tariff is a burden. Consider what that means to excise taxes like taxes on gas and tobacco, where many people believe that the revenue generated should be dedicated only to certain spending programs. If a measure increases gas taxes and requires that the money be spent on highway repair only, the measure would be subject to an unfunded mandate point of order. However, Mr. Chairman, if the same gas tax increase is completely offset by a provision to allow billionaires to avoid some kind of Federal tax liability, then the point of order just would not apply.”