[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 157 (Monday, September 29, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10030-S10031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             TAX EXTENDERS

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, we are at a place, in terms of the 
legislative calendar, where there are lots of things piled up and not 
much time to get them done. I am reminded of something someone once 
said: In the legislative process, you can't allow the perfect to become 
the enemy of the good, in a place where you are lucky if the adequate 
even survives.

[[Page S10031]]

  That is where we find ourselves right now with regard to the issue of 
the tax extender legislation. We have a bill that impacts a broad range 
of Americans; 24 million Americans will be subject to the alternative 
minimum tax if Congress does not act. We have energy tax extenders that 
put in jeopardy lots of investment in renewable energy sources such as 
wind and solar. We have students who are affected because of a student 
loan provision, teachers who are affected by a teacher deduction that 
is allowed for expenses. We have the rural schools' fix included. All 
these things will be impacted if Congress fails to act.
  Where we are with regard to that is, the Senate has passed a bill 
with 93 votes that we have sent to the House. The House is now trying 
to send that back, broken up in different ways and with different sorts 
of offsets.
  The point is, we have to get it done. We have to look at what the 
traffic will bear. We have done everything we can in the Senate. When I 
was a Member of the House, I used to gripe about the Senate and its 
rules. Why can't we send things over there and get them done in a 
timely way?
  The reality is, to get anything comprehensive done and anything 
consequential, it takes 60 votes. Already it is clear we will not be 
able to get 60 votes. We voted on this issue numerous times in the 
Senate. We voted on it repeatedly, the very provisions the House is 
trying to get us to adopt, without success.
  In fact, last week we voted. We only got 53 votes in the Senate out 
of the 60 that are necessary. So it seems, to me at least, we are at a 
point where we flat have to get this done. It is no substitute for a 
comprehensive energy bill, but it is the least we can do. If the least 
we can do is the best we can do, we ought to do at least the best we 
can do, which is to pass these energy tax extenders and get some of 
this investment in energy technologies that would help us toward our 
goal of energy independence and reducing carbon emissions.
  I urge our colleagues on the House side to accept this bill. It is a 
signable bill. It is very clear we have done everything we can in the 
Senate with repeated votes. The proposal the House has put forward is 
not going to move in the Senate, and we have a very short clock to work 
with here in order to get something done. It should not be a question 
of the political winners and losers. It ought to be about the American 
economy and the American people. We need to do something that is a 
winner for them, and that ought to be moving this piece of legislation 
in the House. It has 93 votes in the Senate. It is there. It is 
awaiting action.
  It is absolutely clear the proposal they have sent here cannot secure 
the necessary votes to move. That bill that is over there will be 
signed by the President. It moves us in a direction of energy 
independence and puts some energy policy in place that is important to 
the future of this country, as well as all the other tax provisions I 
mentioned, including preventing 24 million American families from being 
hit by the alternative minimum tax at the end of the year. So I hope, 
again, this legislation will pass. I urge my colleagues on the House 
side to take it up and pass the Senate bill.
  Mr. President, I yield back the remainder of my time.

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