Max Baucus: “George Bernard Shaw once said: ``If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion.'' Sometimes…”

“George Bernard Shaw once said: ``If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion.'' Sometimes I feel the same about legislation to extend expiring tax provisions. Sometimes it feels as though that process never reaches a conclusion. Regrettably, Tuesday, the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the House-passed renewable energy and tax extenders bill. Today, we must begin anew the march to a conclusion for the tax extenders package. Next week, the Senate will face a choice. We'll vote again on getting to the tax extenders bill. We'll vote on allowing the Senate to get to the substitute amendment, the text of which I introduce today. I think that it's a pretty easy choice. We need to decide whether we will develop new jobs and new medications. Or, we can continue to allow hedge fund managers to defer, without limitation, their compensation for investing other people's money. The choice is easy. We must pass this package of expiring provisions. We must reach a conclusion. Last month, the House passed its renewable energy and tax extenders package, by a vote of 263 to 160. It came over to the Senate last week. My Colleagues on the other side of the aisle objected to moving to the House bill, for which I was prepared to offer a substitute amendment. Today, I am introducing that substitute amendment as a stand-alone bill. This extender package is fully paid-for. These offsets are fiscally responsible.”