Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Virginia Democrat says he's "holding his nose," but wants to avoid fiscal cliff, sequestration and extend middle class tax cuts.
Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th) said Tuesday afternoon that while he is "holding his nose," he is urging his colleagues to vote for a fiscal cliff deal that the Senate passed in the early hours of the new year. “This is not a perfect package, but it is something that gets us by until we can tackle the larger issues in the next Congress,” Connolly said. “I pray God that the next Congress is more willing to compromise than this one.” It was not certain Tuesday when the House, controlled by Republicans, would take up the fiscal cliff legislation. The Virginia Democrat said the Senate-passed measure provides an opportunity to: “There is a lot of good in this package," Connolly said. "But there is also a lot that is not addressed …
Connolly says he planned to vote while "holding my nose."
The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night passed HR 8, the Tax Relief Extension Act, a permanent extension of many Bush-era tax cuts by a vote of 257 to 167. The late-night vote was taken at 10:57 p.m. Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th), whose district includes part of Fairfax Station, voted for the measure but did so "holding my nose," he said Tuesday before the vote, in a news release. Congressman Frank Wolf (R-10th), whose district includes part of Fairfax Station and all of Clifton, voted "no." The legislation keeps the Bush era tax cuts for individuals making less than $400,000 and couples making less that $450,000. It also makes permanent the fixes for the Alternative Minimum Tax and delays government spending cuts for two …
Monday, December 31, 2012
If lawmakers fail to reach compromise, sequestration would hit Northern Virginia especially hard.
While the potential loss of thousands of jobs and a devastating economic blow loom over the region thanks to sequestration, Virginia's U.S. Senators can only wait and hope a workable compromise is reached before the new year. If such a compromise is not reached by Tuesday, a series of tax increases and spending reductions kick in automatically — taking the country over the so-called fiscal cliff. Some economists and politicians are concerned the combined effect will send the United States back into a recession. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D) told CBS News this week that at this point any deal that could be made would be relatively small. “I think there’s unfortunately only going to be a small deal,” Warner said. “… We have to realize it’s …
Dennis Curtis
8:53 am on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
"I pray God"? Really!? It's always the other people who won't compromise. I pray God we get to the bottom of Benghazi-gate congressman. Hope you might BEGIN to share that sentiment. more ›