Mitchell Claims Votes to Bar Capital Gains Tax Cut: But Senate GOP ...
Senate Democrats yesterday claimed enough votes to block Republicans from attaching a capital gains tax cut to a high-priority bill to cut the federal deficit as the Senate started slogging through the $14.1 billion deficit measure without hope of meeting the Monday deadline for enactment.</br></br>But their claim was based on an assumption that 60 votes will be required for passage under parliamentary rules governing deficit legislation, and Republicans said last night they will attempt to force a vote today in a maneuver aimed at circumventing that obstacle and passing the capital gains tax cut by a 51-vote majority.</br></br>Republicans have said they have more than 50 votesÛÓalthough probably fewer than 60ÛÓfor passage of the tax cut as part of the deficit bill.</br></br>In the strongest indication that Democrats have the upper hand in the SenateÛªs first skirmish over capital gains, Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine) told reporters that Democrats "without a doubt" could block passage of the tax cut on a procedural move requiring 60 votes.</br></br>Mitchell's assertion followed acknowledgment by some key Republicans that they may have a better change of passing the tax cut as part of other legislation that Congress must enact before adjourning for the year, such as an extension of the governmentÛªs debt ceiling.