Two senators won't join forces in trying to curb tax cuts

Two senators won't join forces in trying to curb tax cuts

ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, March 10, 2004



(03-10) 10:42 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

A leading Republican senator said Wednesday he will not join a Democratic attempt to make it harder for Congress to approve tax cuts that President Bush wants, delivering a blow to the Democrats' effort.

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said he told Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., that he will not cosponsor Feingold's plan to require 60 Senate votes for tax cuts not paid for with other savings. The restriction would also apply to increased spending for benefits like Medicare.

The decision by Domenici, a respected former budget committee chairman and long-time deficit hawk, was an election-year victory for the White House and Senate GOP leaders. They vigorously oppose Feingold's proposal and had been trying to dissuade Domenici from pursuing a similar plan of his own.

Feingold wants the procedural change to take effect this year, when Congress is expected to consider a series of modest tax cuts. Domenici's version would have taken effect in 2005. He said he has decided not to offer his own version.
(anip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/10/national1342EST0657.DTL

amendment, when they were in the minority. :shrug:

to them