Don Nickles: “This amendment is a bad idea because it is unconstitutional. We all take an oath at the beginning of the year to uphold…”

“This amendment is a bad idea because it is unconstitutional. We all take an oath at the beginning of the year to uphold the Constitution. I know all of our colleagues are aware of article I, section 7 of the Constitution that says all bills raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills. The House originates tax bills. The amendment of our colleague from Delaware tries to turn an appropriations bill into a tax bill, a tax bill that did not go through the Ways and Means Committee. It certainly didn't go through the Finance Committee. I am on the Finance Committee. So it is unconstitutional. If this amendment passes, the House will blue-slip it. For people who do not know what a blue slip is, they kill the bill. They will not even consider it. They will not even look at it. It is a great tradition in the House because we have tried it on occasion. Every time it happens, every time somebody tries to slip in a little revenue provision in the bill, no matter how insignificant in comparison to the overall bill, the House loves to blue-slip it and remind the Senate that the Constitution gives them and them only the right to originate revenue bills. Our forefathers put it in the Constitution. We are sworn to uphold the Constitution.”