Bill Pascrell: “There are some real terrible parts to this budget, but this, to me, is the worst. This deduction has been part of our…”

“There are some real terrible parts to this budget, but this, to me, is the worst. This deduction has been part of our tax system before there was an income tax, going back to the Civil War, for the very reasons that my friend from Massachusetts just talked about. It wasn't just picked off the shelf. People count on it. People count on this. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule, the previous question, the budget, the weather, whatever. We know that this budget resolution paves the way for a tax reform bill done through reconciliation. I am sure that is interesting. Reconciliation on Governor Street in Paterson, New Jersey. I am sure they want to know reconciliation when we are talking about their pocketbooks; a dubious maneuver that blocks us Democrats completely out of the process and allows Republicans to pass a purely partisan, juiced-up bill. Comprehensive tax reform is a goal we should all share, and lasting tax reform should be bipartisan. My friend from Georgia, I think, believes that, but this ain't it. While they are cutting deals behind closed doors, what we are pushing is eliminating the State and local tax deduction, and that is in the Senate budget. They wrote it right out, the Capito amendment. Republicans are so adamant about eliminating this middle class benefit that they added an amendment to that budget before us today, the so-called Capito amendment. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear.…”