Repeal of Estate Tax Is Latest GOP Initiative to Die in Senate
WASHINGTON — The long-standing Republican drive to permanently abolish the federal estate tax came up short in the Senate on Thursday, the latest in a string of defeats for key elements of the GOP agenda.
Repeal of the estate tax, which applies to large inheritances and affects a small segment of the population, was waylaid on a procedural vote. But Republican senators vowed to continue the fight.
"We're bullheaded or we wouldn't be here," said Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.).
Some lawmakers remained hopeful they could reach a bipartisan compromise that would reduce rather than eliminate the tax.
But striking a deal will be difficult in an election year, especially with Democrats hoping to take control of at least one chamber of Congress in November's vote. Said Lott: "The Senate's pretty partisan right now."
Supporters of the repeal, strongly backed by President Bush, needed 60 votes to end debate and schedule the issue for a vote. They garnered 57 to opponents' 41 in a largely party-line tally.
The Senate is proving to be a killing ground for recent GOP initiatives.
Last month, a Republican-sponsored bill to limit jury awards in medical malpractice lawsuits failed in the Senate. On Wednesday, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage -- a key priority for social conservatives, who are influential within the GOP -- was blocked. Similarly, a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning is expected to be debated -- and then shunted aside -- later this month.
"The conservative base will appreciate the fact that we are trying," Lott said.
He contended that Democratic resistance to repealing the estate tax was part of a strategy to "keep the Senate from achieving anything" in hopes Republicans would "get the blame for not producing results."
Within hours of Thursday's vote, Republicans were distributing statements attacking Democrats as obstructionists.
Democrats have countered that voters want Congress to deal with other issues, such as gasoline prices and the federal budget deficit, rather than repealing a tax expected to apply to less than 1% of the people who die in 2006.
"There are a number of difficult issues facing the people of Nevada, but issues like estate tax are not high on that list," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement. "We are wasting precious days
