Susan Collins: “States from Maine to Nebraska, from West Virginia to Oregon, are facing the most serious budget shortfalls in 50 years.…”

“States from Maine to Nebraska, from West Virginia to Oregon, are facing the most serious budget shortfalls in 50 years. The bipartisan amendment that we are offering tonight takes the first step toward providing States with a measure of much needed fiscal relief. Regardless of the size of the tax cut, we believe it is imperative that the economic growth package include a significant amount for State fiscal relief. Therefore, our amendment expresses the sense of the Senate that at least $30 billion of the economic growth package be targeted to State fiscal relief over the next 18 months to help our States cope with an aggregate budget shortfall that is nearly four times that size. This bipartisan amendment has been drafted in a way that is both budget and deficit neutral, and I stress that for the information of my colleagues. It neither increases nor decreases the amount provided for reconciliation in the budget resolution.”