[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.
____________________