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‘Short-term tax extensions shouldn’t be the occasion for permanent tax increases’

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Monday calling for bipartisan negotiations to extend tax relief for American families, without raising taxes on others:

“Later on today the Senate will vote on whether to proceed to the House-passed tax extender bill. Republicans support the provisions being extended in this legislation. That’s why I, along with several of my colleagues, introduced an even stronger version of the House bill, one that contains even longer extensions of the expired provisions, provides AMT relief excluded from the House bill, and does both in a form that would avoid a veto — that is, without raising taxes.

“The tax provisions in question are an enormous help to millions of Americans, and a long-term extension would provide the added comfort of predictability into the family budget and the small business balance sheet in the midst of a difficult economic period. Republicans have been firm on this point. Which is why I read with some amusement a letter that was sent to me Friday by my good friend, the Majority Leader, extolling the virtues of the House bill.

“As I said, Republicans fully agree that the expired provisions merit extension. This is not a state secret. Our point of departure, the principle we’ve insisted on, is this: short-term tax extensions shouldn’t be the occasion for permanent tax increases. If new tax policy is being created, that’s one thing. But if current taxes are simply being extended, those extensions shouldn’t be accompanied by new tax increases. To do so would be to transform the annual ritual of extending current law tax relief into a stealth exercise in increasing the size of government.

“Unfortunately, the House Democratic Leadership seems to have dug in, saying it won’t pass an extenders bill without tax hikes. And this brings us to an impasse, for no good reason. First of all, it strikes me as odd that the House Democratic Leadership would single out these particular tax extenders for a fight on offsets. They didn’t need offsets on the stimulus bill earlier this year.

“AMT relief will apparently not require offsets this year. House leaders have signaled that a new GI benefits expansion won’t require offsets. And just last week, the House passed an unemployment insurance expansion bill that didn’t include offsets.

“Now it’s entirely possible that the Democrat Leadership is open to compromise. Recall that during last year’s AMT debate, House Democrats also insisted on offsets. On December 18th, House Democrats were saying they would not consider AMT relief unless it included tax hikes elsewhere. Then, the following day, December 19th, they passed an AMT bill without tax hikes by a 352-64 vote. After all the press releases and letters had been issued, our friends on the other side sat down with Republicans and did something we should do a lot more of around here: they negotiated.

“Notwithstanding the letter I received on Friday from my good friend the Majority Leader, I am hopeful we can do the same thing on this tax extenders bill — sit down together, and come up with a solution that’s acceptable to both sides, and which actually has a chance of becoming law.”

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‘I’m sure I speak for all elected officials when I say he always asked the question we hoped he wouldn’t.’

Frankfort, K.Y.— U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Friday regarding the passing of Tim Russert:

“Elaine and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tim Russert. He was regarded as perhaps the toughest, most fair-minded, and intellectually rigorous interviewer of our day. And I’m sure I speak for all elected officials when I say he always asked the question we hoped he wouldn’t. Yet for all his achievements, Tim Russert always remained tethered to his middle-class upbringing and the good and decent people who made him who he was. But he will be remembered by many more Americans who knew him as a proud son of Buffalo, New York.

“We send our condolences to his wife Maureen, their son Luke, and the entire Russert family on this sad and sudden loss.”

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‘Instead of choosing a bipartisan path, Democrats have chosen to play partisan politics by objecting to moving forward with Sen. Grassley’s alternative, insisting instead on voting on a bill which will never become law’

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the Democrats’ obstruction of a bipartisan Medicare bill:

“Our greatest successes this Congress have come when both sides worked together. We saw it last year on the energy bill when we increased CAFE standards to historic levels and, more recently, on the economic stimulus bill.

“And we started down the same path towards compromise when we began Medicare discussions. Both sides wanted to prevent cuts to physicians in the Medicare program and preserve access to the quality medical care our seniors have come to depend on.

“Unfortunately, the Majority walked away from these bipartisan discussions.

“In an effort to preserve some of the progress, protect benefits for seniors and produce a bill that could be signed into law, Sen. Grassley crafted a Medicare bill which should be passed today in the Senate and sent to the President.

“Sen. Grassley’s legislation includes:

“A 1.1 percent increase in physician update and protection for patients who need expensive therapies following a stroke;

“Two years of funding for the Special Diabetes Program;

“A new cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation benefit; This is especially important in Kentucky, where far too many of our citizens struggle with pulmonary diseases.

“A new program to improve care and save money by encouraging doctor’s to write prescriptions electronically.

“It also preserves patient choice and access to Medicare Advantage, which helps retired Kentucky teachers.

“Unfortunately, instead of choosing a bipartisan path, Democrats have once again chosen to play partisan politics by objecting to moving forward with Sen. Grassley’s alternative, insisting instead on voting on a bill which will never become law.

“We all know this is merely an exercise, and that Democrats will return to negotiations after the Senate votes down this doomed bill. Let’s expedite this process and create a bipartisan compromise before July 1.”

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Recent Press Releases

McConnell Calls for Bipartisan Negotiations for Tax Relief

June 16, 2008

TIM RUSSERT

June 13, 2008

McConnell Calls for Bipartisan Approach to Medicare Bill

June 12, 2008