 Tell Your Senators to Stop Sneak Attempts to Slash the Estate TaxCALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY* * Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for this toll-free hotline. NCIL Opposes HR 5970: A Cynical Legislative Maneuver Linking an Estate Tax Cut for multi-millionaires with a Minimum Wage Hike for the Working Poor in One Bill Senate must protect vital funding for housing, healthcare, and Independent Living and Say 'No' to HR 5970! Introduction: We've beaten the attempts to gut or eliminate the estate tax before, but. IT'S BACK yet again!!! Determined to try to find a way to pass a huge estate tax cut for the wealthy, House Republican leadership and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist decided to tie a bill slashing the estate tax to very popular legislative proposals - including an increase in the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour within the next three years and extensions of popular tax cuts. Late Friday evening, the House of Representatives approved this devious bill, which would drastically reduce the estate tax to the tune of $800 billion over 10 years, by a vote of 230 to 180. For the roll call vote. This week, the issue returns to the Senate, where the vote is expected to be extremely tight. An estate tax cut that would only benefit an estimated 8,200 families who would reap an average of $1.4 million in 2011, is dangerously close to passing because of this clever legislative maneuver. If it succeeds it will further undercut America's financial commitment to the social safety net. Many of your Senators will face intense pressure to support this bill because of the popularity of the tax cuts and the long interval since the last minimum wage increase. Key votes are anticipated between Wednesday and Friday. Don't be deceived. Congress could raise the minimum wage if it so chooses. Since 1997, Congress has raised its own salary by a staggering $31,600, while leaving the minimum wage untouched. If Congress really believes working people deserve a pay raise, they should vote on that issue BY ITSELF and not attach fiscally irresponsible legislation that has been rejected several times by the Senate to a necessary increase in the minimum wage. NCIL has been tirelessly advocating for funding increases to housing, independent living, home and community based services and healthcare. As the budget situation is deteriorating in the face of unaffordable tax cuts and increasing military demands on the budget, we have faced setbacks in securing the funding necessary to enable people with disabilities to live independently in the community. Early this year, Congress approved billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts. For the first time in a long time, funding for Title VII, Part C Appropriations, the base funding for centers for independent living, decreased during the 2006 Appropriations cycle. The last thing the Senate should be considering is a massive tax cut for those who don't need it, costing the federal government $800 billion in revenue! Take Action: CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS, regardless of party affiliation. Every vote matters. In June, Senate opponents of the gutting of the Estate Tax prevailed by a margin of only THREE votes! Don't take any Senator's position for granted. Earlier this year, Democrats Blanche Lincoln (AR), Bill Nelson (FL), Ben Nelson (NE) and Max Baucus (MT) voted to support a dramatic estate tax cut, while two Republican Senators, Lincoln Chafee (RI) and George Voinovich (OH) opposed such legislation. Other key Senators whose votes may be decisive include Democrats Mark Pryor (AR), Maria Cantwell (WA), Patty Murray (WA), Bob Menendez (NJ) and Robert Byrd (WV), as well as Republicans Olympia Snowe (ME) and Susan Collins (ME). Timing: The initial vote to proceed on consideration of HR 5790 is anticipated on Wednesday with action possible through the end of the week. The sooner you can contact your Senator by calling, or using email by going to www.congress.org, the better! For More Details, see the following from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
If you have questions, or need additional information, e-mail Daniel Davis at Daniel@ncil.org, or call him at (202)-207-0334, ext# 1001.
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