XXXX Opposed $2 Billion for Tax-Exempt Environmentally Friendly Construction Projects. In May 2004, XXXX voted against an amendment to S.1637, which was an amendment to authorize $2 billion for “tax-exempt bonds for environmentally friendly construction projects.” [Vote 84 5/5/04; National Journal’s Congress Daily, 05/06/04] XXXX Voted to Make It Tougher to Raise Taxes on the Wealthiest Americans. In March 2004, XXXX voted for a motion to create a 60-vote point of order against legislation that seeks to increase taxes on the top income tax bracket without an exemption for small businesses. The budgetary point of order could be waived by a three-fifths majority vote of the total Senate. [Vote 55, 3/11/04] XXXX Opposed Raising Cigarette Taxes to Pay for Health Services. XXXX voted against the Harkin amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Resolution, which was an amendment to provide $2 billion for deficit reduction and $30.5 billon over five years for medical research and health services, such as tobacco cessation programs, mental health programs, and substance abuse programs, with the $32.5 billion offset by increasing the cigarette tax by 61 cents per pack. [Vote 46, 3/11/04] XXXX Voted Against Stopping the IRS From Using Private Debt Collection Firms to Collect Delinquent Tax Payments. In May 2003, XXXX voted to keep a provision in the 2003 Bush tax cut package that would allow the Internal Revenue Service to enter contracts with private debt collection firms in order to collect delinquent tax payments. [Vote 176, 5/15/03] XXXX Voted Against Ending “Janitors Insurance” Corporate Loophole. In 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that would remove a provision of the tax code that allows a company to purchase life insurance policies for non-critical employees without the employee’s knowledge, making the company eligible for a tax break. [Vote 175 5/15/03; National Journal’s “The Hotline,” 5/16/03; Edwards Press Release, 5/15/03] XXXX Voted For Billions in Tax Breaks For Charitable Giving; For $1.4 Billion More Over Two Years For The Social Services Block Grant. In 2003, XXXX voted for a bill that would authorize $12.7 billion in tax breaks and additional spending for social services. It would include a tax deduction for non-itemizers who take the standard deduction and make charitable contributions, and would give a tax break for donations to charity beyond $250 in any one year, up to $500. To keep the cost down, the new tax deduction would expire in two years. It would provide incentives to increase charitable giving by corporations, offset by limitations on offshore corporate tax shelters. It also would authorize a $1.4 billion increase for the Social Service Development Block Grant and additional funds to provide technical assistance to small church groups that do not have the resources to compete for federal funding. [S 476, Vote 128, 4/9/03; Associated Press, 4/9/03] XXXX Voted Against Making Polluters Pay To Clean Up Their Messes Through Tax. In 2003, XXXX voted against a Democratic amendment to the FY04 Budget Resolution “that would have reinstated a tax on polluters to help pay for cleaning up the Superfund toxic waste sites.” [Vote 97, 3/25/03; AP, 3/25/03] XXXX Opposed Saving $34 Million by Cutting Unnecessary Tax Notices. XXXX voted against an amendment offered by Senator Schumer to cut $33.9 million and prevent the IRS from printing and mailing unnecessary tax notices to taxpayers about the upcoming rebate. Many of these tax notices are going to taxpayers who will not get a rebate. [S. 1077, Vote 227, 7/10/01] XXXX Voted Not To Provide Immediate Income And Payroll Tax Rebates. In 2001, XXXX voted against an amendment that would provide $300 to any taxpayer who had total income tax or payroll tax liability in 2000 of $300 or more (any taxpayer with less than that amount would receive a check to rebate that lesser amount). To pay for these rebates, the amendment would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the rate cut for the 39.6- percent tax bracket. The amendment was rejected, 43-56. [HR 1836, Vote 139, 5/22/01] XXXX Voted for Elimination of Tax Code Without Replacement. In 1998, XXXX voted for the Hutchinson amendment to S.Con.Res.86, which was an amendment to express the sense of the Senate that the Senate should pass an IRS restructuring bill that includes taxpayer protections, expanded oversight, and IRS employee 282