Kent Conrad: “I thank the Senator. I don't consider it a tax increase to actually collect the taxes that individuals or companies…”

“I thank the Senator. I don't consider it a tax increase to actually collect the taxes that individuals or companies already owe which they are not paying. That is not a tax increase. No tax rate is increased. That is not creating a new tax; that is collecting the taxes that are already owed. The Revenue Commissioner testified before the Senate Budget Committee that the tax gain--the difference between what is owed and what is actually being paid--is $350 billion a year. The deficit is going to be $371 billion, and we are not collecting $350 billion of revenue that is owed. I don't consider that a tax increase. I think that is simply enforcing the laws that already exist. I want to again alert colleagues. We are trying to change the way the budget debate occurs. The chairman and I are trying very hard. We have heard the complaints of our colleagues about vote-aramas. A vote-arama typically occurs because time runs out before the amendment that has been offered has a chance to be voted on under the rules of the Senate. We are trying to make sure that the people have a chance to debate those amendments and get a vote and dispense with some of these votes before we get to Thursday night. I hope very much that colleagues are going to agree to the timeframe that we have set out in order to accomplish that purpose. If people resist that, then we are going to be right back in a vote-arama Thursday night and voting until the wee hours of the morning.…”