[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17227-17228]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 3617

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I have been working very hard over the 
last several months to extend the critical sales tax deduction for 
families and small businesses in my home State of Washington and in a 
number of other States in this country. I know how important this is to 
middle-class families in my State, and I have heard from so many of 
them about how important it is that this deduction be extended.

[[Page 17228]]

  But every time we brought forward a bill that would help these 
families, Republicans have banded together to block it. They would 
stand here on the floor and say they objected to the way we paid for 
this deduction or they did not like some of the other tax cut 
extensions we included in the bill. They gave different reasons each 
time, but they refused to come to the table with real solutions for 
this serious issue facing middle-class families.
  I have been urging Senate Republicans to change their minds, and 
finally, on Monday night, Senate Republicans came forward with a 
proposal. Their bill came at the 11th hour, and it stripped away all of 
the other tax credits that would have helped families, clean energy 
companies, and small businesses.
  Senator Baucus was here and he objected to it because he wanted to 
focus on a tax cut extension bill we had been working on for many 
months that already had the support of a majority of the Senate. But 
extending the sales tax deduction is too important for families in my 
home State of Washington to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
  So over the last several days, I have talked to a number of my 
colleagues about this. I made sure they understood that this issue is 
about more than the political back-and-forth in DC; it is about real 
people in my home State of Washington. It is about removing a bias in 
the Tax Code that is fundamentally unfair to our families. It is about 
putting more money into their pockets at a time when they can use all 
the help they can get.
  So I am here to say that after many conversations with my colleagues 
on the Democratic side, they have agreed to set aside their objections 
and allow the sales tax deduction extension to pass this evening 
because, frankly, this issue shouldn't be controversial, and the 
livelihoods of middle-class families shouldn't be used as a political 
football in election year games.
  So in just a minute I will ask unanimous consent to pass a bill that 
pulls the sales tax exemption out of the legislation we had it in 
before, which will allow it to stand alone tonight. It is what 
Republicans offered us on Monday night, with one small compromise. It 
is very close to the version the Republicans offered. I can't imagine 
they are going to object to it this evening, but rather than a 
permanent extension that I and many others would prefer, what I will 
offer is to extend the sales tax exemption alone for 1 year, which will 
offer greater stability and confidence for middle-class families in 
these tough times. I believe this is a reasonable compromise, and I 
believe it can and ought to pass tonight.
  I was proud to work with my colleagues to put politics aside and 
advance this proposal that will help people and solve problems. It is 
very narrowly drafted for just the State sales tax deduction. I know it 
is important to my State and to many, and I hope the Republicans will 
allow this to go forward tonight.
  So I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate 
consideration of H.R. 3617, that all after the enacting clause be 
stricken, and the text of S. 35, as amended, with the amendment at the 
desk, be inserted, and that the amendment be agreed to.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill, as amended, be read a third 
time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and 
any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, and I will 
not object if the Senator from Washington would substitute the language 
which is at the desk which extends all the things she has talked about 
this evening, as well as provides a 2-year extension for the physician 
fee issue which is expiring on November 30, but does it with spending 
reductions as opposed to tax increases. That amendment is at the desk, 
and if the Senator from Washington would substitute that language for 
her amendment, I will not object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I object to the modification offered by 
the Senator from South Dakota.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the original request by 
the Senator from Washington?
  Mr. THUNE. I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, while the Senator from South Dakota is 
here, I wish to make sure he understood what I offered tonight. It is 
what the Republicans offered to us on Monday night, which is the simple 
extension of just the sales tax deduction, which I know affects his 
State as well as mine, for 1 year. So I want him to understand that is 
all I have asked to do tonight, to just extend the sales tax deduction 
which I know is important to his State and to mine, and I would again 
ask the Senator from South Dakota if he would allow us to move forward 
with just that deduction this evening.
  Mr. President, I would again ask the Senator from South Dakota if we 
could just extend not the rest of the package but just the sales tax 
deduction, as your side offered to us on Monday night.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Dakota.
  Mr. THUNE. I would say to the Senator from Washington through the 
Chair that I would be happy to take a look at this and run it by my 
colleagues. Obviously, this is not something I think everybody--there 
isn't anybody here right now--has had an opportunity to look at. We 
have tried repeatedly to get some cooperation on an extenders package 
that includes a number of important tax provisions that have expired 
already, as well as some that are set to expire, and to do that through 
offsets that reduce spending as opposed to raising taxes, particularly 
at a time when the economy is in recession.
  So as much as I would agree with the Senator from Washington that 
this is an important issue that needs to be addressed--and it is 
important to my State--I would have to object until we have an 
opportunity to look at the amendment that the Senator from Washington 
put forward.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I just have to say I am really confused 
by this because what we have offered is simply what the Republicans 
agreed to--offered Monday night, and I have come back to offer it 
again. It is perplexing to me on an issue that is so important to my 
State, and to several other States, that we can't now, a few days 
later, do this. So I am not sure we are not just having games about 
this. It is extremely important to people in my State, and I am deeply 
disconcerted that the Republicans have not agreed to allow us to just 
pass the State sales tax deduction for 1 year.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. CANTWELL. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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