Ways and Means and Finance conferees will make an all-out effort this week to complete the Pension Reform bill (H. R. 2830) before the two-week Easter recess begins on April 10th. After that, they can give their attention full time to the tax bill, H. R. 4297. Time will be short to make your Coalition's weight felt after the recess, so a new round of letters and contacts is in order. The fact that both House and Senate Budget Resolutions did not provide for tax reconciliation means Congressional leaders have probably given up on major tax legislation after H. R. 4297 is passed. If H. R. 4297 doesn't include AMT relief, an AMT bill will be moved separately, as will Estate Tax Repeal, outside of reconciliation. Without reconciliation under the Budget Act, any tax bill can be filibustered and will in effect require 60 votes for passage by the Senate.

This has an important implication for the WOTC Campaign. If the Conference on H. R. 4297 grants only a one-year extension to the end of 2006, Congress will inevitably take up a short-term extender bill for 2007 before adjourning for the November elections. The recent budget resolutions allow more than $200 billion for tax relief, so there will be plenty of room for a "small" tax bill limited to non-controversial expiring tax provisions. We will need to work for this to happen, otherwise WOTC will expire again on December 31st.

IT IS FAR PREFERABLE TO WIN A MERGER AND TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF WOTC AND W-T-W AS PART OF H. R. 4297. WE NEED TO CONTINUE PRESSING CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AND CONFEREES ON THIS POINT. IF WE BEGIN NOW, WE WILL HAVE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS TO GET OUR LETTERS AND FAXES IN BEFORE THE TAX CONFERENCE BEGINS ITS POST-RECESS SESSIONS AROUND APRIL 24TH. WE HAVE PREPARED AN UPDATED MODEL LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AND CONFEREES THAT YOU CAN PUT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS AND MAIL OR FAX ON YOUR LETTERHEAD TO THE FOLLOWING LIST. PLEASE SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO YOUR OWN CONGRESSMAN AND BOTH SENATORS ASKING THEM TO WRITE OR TALK TO THEIR LEADERS AND CONFEREES TO SUPPORT WOTC. HERE IS THE LIST OF KEY PEOPLE TO CONTACT, ALONG WITH TITLES AND FAX NUMBERS. THE ADDRESS FOR SENATORS IS UNITED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON, DC 20510; THE ADDRESS FOR CONGRESSMEN IS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC 20515.

The Honorable Bill Frist
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Fax: 202-228-1264

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley
Chairman Committee on Finance
United States Senate
Fax: 202-224-6020
The Honorable Jon L. Kyl
Committee on Finance
United States SenateFax: 202-224-2207

The Honorable Max Baucus
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Finance
United States SenateFax: 202-224-4700

The Honorable John A. Boehner
Majority Leader House of Representatives
Fax: 202-225-0704

The Honorable William M. Thomas
Chairman Committee on Ways and Means
House of Representatives
Fax: 202-225-8798

The Honorable David Dreier Chairman
Committee on Rules
House of Representatives
Fax: 202-225-7018

The Honorable Jim McCrery
Committee on Ways and Means
House of Representatives
Fax: 202-225-8039

President, WOTC Coalition