Max Baucus: “we all agree that the contractors who contract with the Federal Government should pay their taxes. I don't think there…”

“we all agree that the contractors who contract with the Federal Government should pay their taxes. I don't think there is any dispute on that. There is also agreement that we should not overburden small businesses which are paying their taxes. The bill before us would repeal the provisions scheduled to go into effect in 2013 to require a withholding of 3 percent of payments from the U.S. Treasury to the government contractors. There are two flaws in this. One, it lets all government contractors off the hook, even those who refuse to pay taxes. Those contractors would not be subject to the mechanism to make sure they pay. Second, this is paid for by rescinding $30 billion of appropriated funds, which is, frankly, contrary to the agreement reached with the President on the deficit reduction. I ask colleagues to oppose the cloture motion to proceed to the bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.”