General: “I will cut middle class taxes. I will reduce the tax burden on small business. And I will roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals who make over $200,000 a year, so we can invest in job creation, health care, and education.” (Democratic National Convention, 7/29/04)
On the President’s tax cuts: “I will roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.” (Associated Press, 1/25/04)
On the 10% tax bracket: “The 10% bracket (in the Bush tax plan) wasn’t Bush’s idea. It was our idea. It was in keeping with the spirit of the Democratic Party to try to help the average American get ahead.” (Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan, 9/25/03)
NOT VOTING on Conference report vote on Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, (H.R. 1308, 9/23/04); measure passed previously in Senate by voice vote (6/5/03).
Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years (H.R. 2, 5/23/03), but then voted to adopt the conference report on the bill.
Voted NO on bill that would reduce all income tax rates and make other tax cuts (including the estate tax) totaling $1.35 trillion over 11 years (H.R. 1836, 5/23/01).
Voted NO on eliminating the marriage tax penalty in 2001 (H.R.6, part of vote on H.R. 1836, 5/23/01) and 2000 (H.R. 4810, 7/18/00).
Voted NO on across-the-board spending cut (Nickles Amendment #1889; Bill S.1860, 10/6/99). Amendment stated that Congress should adopt an across-the-board cut in all discretionary funding, to protect the Social Security Trust Fund.
Voted NO on $792B tax cuts (Gramm Amendment #1405, S. 1429, 7/29/99). To waive the Congressional Budget Act against the Gramm (R-TX) amendment which would reduce taxes by $792 billion over 10 years by reducing all income tax rates by 10%,
effectively eliminating the so-called "marriage penalty.”