Byron Dorgan: “Isn't it a fact, more than reforming the estate tax, that the Senator from Illinois and the Senator from North Dakota…”

“Isn't it a fact, more than reforming the estate tax, that the Senator from Illinois and the Senator from North Dakota and others would say let's effectively repeal the estate tax for estates up to $8 million for small businesses or family farms? In fact, the Senator from Illinois is saying let's repeal the estate tax to that level. But he doesn't want to go the next step as proposed by the majority party of saying no, that is important to do, but let's do something that is even more important. Let's make sure the repeal of the estate tax burden applies to people who leave estates of hundreds of millions of dollars. Is that a priority? It seems to me that it ought to be measured against a range of other things that we ought to do. I just make the point that I always smile a little when I hear these pejoratives about big spenders. It is sort of yesterday's news. It so happens that folks standing on this side of this Chamber are the ones who cast the tough votes that put this country back on track of getting rid of the burgeoning Federal deficits a few years ago when there was well over $300 billion in Federal deficits, and now, of course, to balance the budget. We cast the tough votes to do that. I don't need to hear much from people about who the big spenders are. We put this country back on track.”