AS THE CONGRESS TURNS

I'm back! More on my trip later.

It has been quite a morning so far. First I locked myself out of my apartment (I grabbed the wrong keys on the way out) - luckily I have left a copy of my keys with my long-time friend who has the deli on the corner. Then I am almost run over by a women going through a red light while talking on her cell phone. I almost proved true the bumper sticker I reported on in my Nov 2nd posting (at http://rdftaxpro.tripod.com/weblog) - "Guns don't kill people. Drivers with cellphones do."

Hey, the day can only get better!

Now, back to Congress: According to fellow tax blogger Kay Bell's Friday posting in DON'T MESS WITH TAXES those "cafones" in the House of Representative have fu-ed a simple task once again.

"The House overwhelmingly (367-45) passed a tax measure today that would reinstate the deductions for state sales taxes, tuition and fees and educators' out-of-pocket expenses [The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006].

In addition to the tax provisions, the bill makes the previously mentioned (here) changes to Medicare-related fees and opens 8.3 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida to new oil and gas drilling.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) says he will try to kill the bill because of its $40 billion, five-year price tag."

Congress was expected to adjourn on Friday, but, as Kay puts it. "It looks like the start of their holiday season is going to be held hostage a little bit longer to pork barrel politics."

Thanks and a tip of the hat to Kay for keeping on top of this issue.