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Senior Citizen Politics
Republicans Oppose Senior Citizens Sharing in
Economic Stimulus Rebates
Vote on Senate Finance Committees plan to include
low-income seniors delayed until Wednesday
 Jan.
31, 2008 - The effort by the Senate Finance Committee to create an
economic stimulus plan that would include 20 million senior citizens
that are excluded from the Houses plan has quickly run into Republican
opposition. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the Senate will not
vote on the proposal
until
next week, probably Wednesday.
"I still have two Democratic senators [running for
president]," Reid told CNN. "As you know, next Tuesday is Super Tuesday,
and they're both very busy, as is Sen. [John] McCain. So I probably
can't get them back here until Monday, but I do need them back.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Thursday
he was concerned that the $157 billion stimulus package passed by the
Senate Finance Committee was too complex and he prefers the simpler
House of Representatives version, according to a report by Reuters.
President Bush has also endorsed the House version
offering rebates of $600 and $1,200 for couples but with the amounts
adjusted for income levels.
Senate Democratic leaders said on Thursday,
according to the New York Times, that they were short of the 60 votes
needed to advance their own $157 billion economic stimulus package and
would have no choice but to adopt a less expensive plan approved by the
House.
Still, these Democratic Senate leaders said they
hoped to secure some important changes to the House plan when they vote
on it, probably on Wednesday.
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"...these 20 million seniors have
given a lifetime of labor. They have given a lifetime of service. They have paid a lifetime of taxes.
"But the House-passed bill would
not give them a stimulus check."
- Sen. Max Baucus, Chairman |
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The Senate Committee's bill offers rebates to
almost all taxpayers of $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples. The
most significant difference is that the Senate proposal includes about
20 million senior citizens that would not be included in the $146
billion House bill due to low income. The Senate plan allows seniors to
include Social Security as income.
"Complexity is our enemy and I'm concerned that the
bill that has come out of the Senate Finance Committee is already too
complex. Once it gets on the Senate floor it's in danger of looking like
a Christmas tree," Paulson said.
Senate Republicans might be able to prevent the
broader Senate version from passing, according to a report by Thomson
Financial appearing in Forbes.com.
Sen. Reid was quoted as saying it appears at this
state that the Republicans are filibustering.
The Forbes report says Reid and other Senate
Democrats say is unclear at this point exactly how many Republicans
would vote for the Senate bill, but noted that three Republicans are
already on record as supporting it. Democrats would need nine
Republicans in order to get a total of 60 votes, which are needed to end
debate on the bill and allow it to be passed by the Senate.
More at CNN
More at New York Times
More at Forbes
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