–Senate Minority Leader Says GOP Will Seek Vote On Current Tax Bill
–Sen. McConnell: GOP ‘Welcomes’ Wide Ranging Tax Cut Debate
–Senate Majority Leader: GOP Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts ‘Hostage’
–Sen. Reid: Hill Dems, Obama Have Sequestration On ‘Radar’

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Tuesday
said Senate Republicans will introduce an amendment during the current
debate on a small business tax cut bill that would provide for a
one-year extension of the Bush era tax cuts.

In comments to reporters, McConnell said Sen. Orrin Hatch, the
ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, would introduce the
amendment as the Senate considers a tax package that would lower taxes
for businesses that hire new workers and purchase new equipment.

The Senate just voted to formally begin debating the measure.

McConnell hammered President Obama and many Senate Democrats for
seeking to extend Bush era tax cuts only for those making $250,000 or
less.

He said increasing any person’s taxes is a “really bad idea in the
middle of an economic trough.”

McConnell said Republicans are eager to debate taxes with
Democrats.

“It’s a debate we welcome,” McConnell said.

McConnell said Senate Republicans will also seek another vote to
repeal the 2010 health care law.

The Senate rejected the GOP repeal effort last year.

Speaking after McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
scorched Republicans for threatening to block the extension of tax cuts
for those making $250,000 or less.

“I don’t think we should be held hostage,” Reid said.

“Romney and other millionaires don’t need any more tax breaks,”
Reid said, taking a swipe at the Republican presidential nominee Mitt
Romney.

Reid once again rejected Republican calls to replace the coming
across-the-board spending cuts with a different set of spending cuts.

Reid has said that sequestration should only be replaced by a
“balanced” plan that includes spending cuts and tax increases.

Reid said Democrats in Congress and President Obama are closely
monitoring the sequestration issue which will come to a head in early
2013.

“We’ll handle sequestration” later in the year, Reid said. “It’s on
our radar,” he added.

Finally, Reid said he is uncertain if the Senate will consider any
of the 12 spending bills for the 2013 fiscal year this summer and fall,
charging that House Republicans are using a different discretionary
spending level than was agreed to in the 2011 debt ceiling agreement.

“The House refused to follow the law,” Reid said.

“Until the Republicans get real, I don’t think we can do that,”
Reid said, referring to the consideration of FY’13 spending bills.

** MNI Washington Bureau: (202) 371-2121 **

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