{"id":24303,"date":"2010-12-14T07:41:07","date_gmt":"2010-12-14T14:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=24303"},"modified":"2010-12-15T08:32:58","modified_gmt":"2010-12-15T15:32:58","slug":"bingaman-opposes-tax-bill-udall-undecided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2010\/12\/bingaman-opposes-tax-bill-udall-undecided\/","title":{"rendered":"Bingaman opposes tax bill; Udall undecided"},"content":{"rendered":"
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U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman, right, and Tom Udall. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)<\/p><\/div>\n

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman<\/a> announced Monday that he opposes President Barack Obama\u2019s tax compromise with Republicans, while Sen. Tom Udall<\/a> says he hasn\u2019t decided whether to support the legislation.<\/p>\n

Bingaman\u2019s announcement came as he voted with 14 others against a procedural move that advanced the legislation to a final Senate vote. Udall voted with the vast majority of senators in favor of the procedural move, but said that shouldn\u2019t be interpreted as support for the legislation.<\/p>\n

Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat, said the bill \u201cdoes have some useful provisions to stimulate the economy, and I do strongly support extending tax cuts to New Mexicans who need it most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this bill goes further than that,\u201d he said. \u201cIt extends tax cuts to the highest earners and adds a substantial estate tax cut that will make it very difficult for the next Congress to act in a responsible way to (address) our serious deficit situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spokeswoman Jude McCartin confirmed that Bingaman will vote against the bill when it comes up for final passage, which could happen today. With 83 senators voting Monday in favor of moving it to the final vote, the legislation is expected to easily pass.<\/p>\n

Udall, meanwhile, said his Monday vote in favor of the procedural move was simply about getting on with things.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I still have serious concerns with the package, there has been adequate time to study it, and now we must do our jobs and vote,\u201d Udall said. \u201cI have continually fought against obstruction and needless delay in the Senate and refuse to contribute to our dysfunction by voting to delay further this bill\u2019s consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve written before<\/a> about efforts by Udall, also a New Mexico Democrat, to reform the way the Senate does business.<\/p>\n

Spokeswoman Marissa Padilla said Udall\u2019s office is still receiving feedback from constituents. And while she said the senator hasn\u2019t decided how to vote, she had little positive to say about the legislation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSen. Udall continues to believe that to hold unemployment benefits and middle class tax cuts as ransom for a giveaway on the estate tax and extra taxpayer-funded bonuses for multimillionaires and billionaires is wrong, and he still has serious concerns with the legislation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

House Dems meet this evening<\/h3>\n

The legislation includes high-profile Republican provisions \u2013 an extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and changes to the estate tax \u2013 that have angered many on the left. Earlier this week, two of three House members from New Mexico joined Bingaman and Udall in expressing concern about those provisions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The bill includes some Democrat-sought provisions as well, such as a payroll holiday tax, a child tax credit, and an extension of unemployment benefits.<\/p>\n

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