Max Baucus: “I rise to address the underlying amendment. It is a good idea. There is no reason for the exclusion of certain income…”

“I rise to address the underlying amendment. It is a good idea. There is no reason for the exclusion of certain income under survivor benefits with respect to persons who died before 1996. Sometimes those benefits are distributed after 1996, and I think the amendment offered by the Senator from New Hampshire is a good one. I must say, I am a little bit surprised by the second-degree amendment. It is not an improvement on the first degree. It is an entirely different subject. It is a subject which is not in the jurisdiction of this committee. I urge the Senator, frankly, to withdraw it or maybe offer the amendment later on. We have not debated that issue at any length. At least with respect to the underlying amendment, I think the Senator has a good idea.”