Bob Kerrey: “in spite of what the Senator from Montana just said, I continue to support his amendment. There is no rebuttable…”

“in spite of what the Senator from Montana just said, I continue to support his amendment. There is no rebuttable presumption on my part. I believe it is a good amendment, and I am prepared to accept it. I want to comment before the distinguished chairman of the committee rises to accept the amendment. I call to your attention that this title I consider to be one of the most important ones in the bill. I appreciate this may be the only amendment on this title. Congressman Portman and I put a lot of time and attention into it. I call to your attention that it starts off by saying: It is the policy of the Congress that-- (1) paperless filing should be the preferred and most convenient means of filing tax and information returns, and (2) it should be the goal of the Internal Revenue Service to have at least 80 percent of all such returns filed electronically by the year 2007. The House actually mandates 80 percent. This just says the goal. Later, I will try to get an amendment, and I urge you to look at it--I will get you copies of it--which will add a third item which would say ``the Internal Revenue Service should work cooperatively and not competitively with the private sector to increase electronic filing of such returns consistent with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76.'' If this is going to develop correctly, I believe the IRS has to manage the competition with the private sector.”