[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12980-S12981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, the Russian Federation is, in many 
respects, a democratic state. Elections are held at regular intervals, 
local and national elective bodies meet and pass legislation. Referenda 
may be held on major issues, both at the national and local level, 
although this exercise may be reduced in the near future.
  But there is another consideration, in which the Russian Federation 
falls short in its democratic characterization.
  Freedom of the press is vital to the existence of a stable democratic 
state. Journalists must be able to openly report on all issues without 
fear of physical harassment or economic pressures. It is no accident 
that Napoleon said that four newspapers were more effective than a 
thousand bayonets.
  Therefore, it is regrettable that a number of Russian journalists 
have recently been murdered while reporting on subjects sensitive to 
the Russian government. Other have been beaten or otherwise prevented 
from doing their job. One recent victim was involuntarily incarcerated 
in a psychiatric hospital.
  Among those Russian journalists who have given their lives for their 
profession was Anna Politkovskaya, who reported extensively on the 
brutal war in Russia's secessionist region of Chechnya. Last week, 
friends, colleagues, and supporters of this courageous woman marked the 
one-year anniversary of her assassination.
  Politkovskaya was fearless in her efforts to bring correct and 
unbiased information on the Chechen war to her readers. This was a 
hard-earned counterpoint to the propaganda that much of the electronic 
media turned out daily on the conflict . . . when there was any mention 
of it at all. While other journalists reported on the conflict from 
afar, she routinely traveled to troublesome areas to view and describe 
first-hand the problems and issues in the war-torn region. She was one 
of few Russian reporters to actively engage the Chechen people in open 
dialogue, and she presented her findings in a fair and balanced manner. 
Her resume included a long list of awards and commendations for her 
investigative skills and professional competence.
  On October 7th, 2006, Ms. Politkovskaya was carrying groceries up to 
her Moscow apartment when, according to authorities, a gunman clad in 
black fired twice, shooting her once in the head. The murderer left the 
weapon at her side, a brazen gesture indicating, or meant to indicate, 
the commission of a contract murder. The Moscow newspaper Novaya 
Gazeta, where Ms. Politikovskaya worked, suggested the assassin or 
assassins had been following her closely and probably for a long time. 
Indeed, she was used to being watched and harassed. Numerous threats 
had already been made on her life, and at one point in 2001 she was 
forced to flee to Vienna.
  As Co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I would also note that 
Anna Politkovksya delivered memorable and compelling testimony on the 
conflict in Chechnya at Commission hearings on Capitol Hill in 
September 2003, and she was awarded the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's 
annual Prize for Journalism and Democracy in that year.
  Recently, several suspects were arrested in connection with the 
murder. However, there are disturbing reports that the investigation 
has been marked

[[Page S12981]]

by irregularities and apparent political considerations. For instance, 
Russian officials have been quick to assert that certain individuals 
and factions outside of the Russian Federation must have ordered the 
killing, although they have presented no credible proof. The fact is 
that Politkovskaya's work was extremely critical of corrupt and 
incompetent officials in the Russian government. At the time of her 
death, she had been working on a story about the torture of detainees 
in the jails of the pro-Moscow Chechen authorities.
  The true instigator of this murder might well reside in Moscow, 
London, Grozny, or Murmansk. In any event, Russian President Vladimir 
Putin stated during a visit last week to Germany that the investigation 
is ``on the right track.'' Let us hope that he is correct.
  And let us also remember the sacrifice and the journalistic integrity 
of Anna Politkovskaya and her colleagues in Russia and throughout the 
world, who risk life and limb every day to discern the truth and bring 
it to their fellow citizens.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I would like to comment on the status of 
the alternative minimum tax, AMT.
  There is some good news regarding the need to do a patch to protect 
19 million families. If you look back over the last few months, I have 
come to the floor several times to urge my friends in the Democratic 
leadership in both bodies to focus on this problem and get legislation 
ready. Earlier today, I urged the House to begin work on an AMT patch 
bill. I urged them to send it to the Senate so that Chairman Baucus and 
I will have a vehicle to deal with this pressing problem.
  We have a few weeks to act before the IRS forms are finalized. After 
that time, there could be big problems for taxpayers and the Internal 
Revenue Service.
  I was pleased to read in this afternoon's press reports that Chairman 
Rangel is going to process an AMT patch bill.
  I also want to commend our Finance chairman, my friend, Senator 
Baucus, for convening an informal meeting of the Finance Committee to 
discuss this pressing matter. I hope the Democratic leadership provides 
Chairman Baucus floor time to take up a committee bill.
  On a related point, at a press event earlier today, in answer to a 
reporter's question, I indicated that we could look at measures to 
insure that certain high-income taxpayers who pay no regular income tax 
or AMT pay some tax. I would like to elaborate on that comment.
  I have referred many times to the IRS statistic of high income 
taxpayers who pay no regular income tax or AMT. The statistic is that, 
for the tax year 2004, IRS Statistics of Income reported that 2,833 
taxpayers with incomes over $200,000 paid no income tax. That same 
group paid no AMT as well. I will ask to have inserted in the Record a 
copy of that statistic.
  The reason this group does not pay tax is defects in the AMT. What I 
was saying is that the AMT is defective in its original purpose. That 
is, to make sure that all high-income taxpayers pay some tax. I was not 
arguing for a tax increase on high-income taxpayers who are paying 
either regular income tax or AMT. I was arguing that, if anything, if 
the AMT's original purpose is to be served, then insure that those not 
paying ANY tax, pay it.
  Mr. Presdient, I ask unanimous consent to have a copy of the 
statistic to which I referred printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   TABLE 1.--RETURNS WITH AND WITHOUT U.S. INCOME TAX: NUMBER OF RETURNS, BY SIZE OF INCOME UNDER ALTERNATIVE
                                             CONCEPTS, TAX YEAR 2004
                                  [All figures are estimates based on samples]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Returns by size of adjusted gross income
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             All returns      under        $50,000      $100,000     $200,000 or
  Returns by tax status, size of expanded  --------------  $50,000 \1\      under         under         more
                  income                                 --------------   $100,000      $200,000   -------------
                                                 (1)                   ----------------------------
                                                               (2)           (3)           (4)           (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                All returns
 
Total.....................................   132,226,042    91,302,396    28,166,641     9,735,569     3,021,435
Under $50,000 [\1\].......................    90,478,783    89,700,020       767,886         8,163         2,714
$50,000 under $100,000....................    29,115,600     1,572,295    27,186,378       353,025         3,901
$100,000 under $200,000...................     9,564,057        27,792       205,880     9,279,698        50,687
$200,000 or more..........................     3,067,602         2,289         6,497        94,683     2,964,133
 
       Returns with U.S. income tax
 
Total.....................................    90,876,672    50,767,865    27,371,775     9,718,430     3,018,602
Under $50,000 \1\.........................    50,003,838    49,336,042       659,474         6,609         1,713
$50,000 under $100,000....................    28,278,142     1,413,628    26,509,632       351,123         3,759
$100,000 under $200,000...................     9,532,119        17,365       197,144     9,267,112        50,498
$200,000 or more..........................     3,062,574           831         5,524        93,587     2,962,632
 
      Returns without U.S. income tax
 
Total.....................................    41,349,370    40,534,531       794,866        17,139         2,833
Under $50,000 [\1\].......................    40,474,945    40,363,978       108,411         1,555         1,001
$50,000 under $100,000....................       837,458       158,667       676,746         1,902           142
$100,000 under $200,000...................        31,938        10,428         8,736        12,586           189
$200,000 or more..........................         5,028         1,458           973         1,096         1,501
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes returns with adjusted gross deficit or with negative expanded income.
NOTE: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.
Source: IRS, Statistics of Income Division, June 2007.



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