House Panel's Plan to Start From Scratch On Stimulus Bill May Spark Free-for-All
WASHINGTON -- The House Ways and Means Committee will introduce its economic-stimulus package tomorrow -- in the form of a blank sheet of paper.</br></br>The unusual move allows members to offer their pet stimulus proposals by amendment. It also assures that the bill submitted to the full House will be heavily seasoned with Republican priorities, including a capital-gains tax cut and possibly corporate income-tax breaks. Republicans outnumber Democrats on the panel by nearly 2 to 1.</br></br>The approach, offered by Chairman Bill Thomas (R., Calif.), is unprecedented in recent memory. Since Republicans took control of the House in 1995, party leaders have tightly controlled Ways and Means, often dictating the parameters of crucial bills. That has repeatedly frustrated Democrats and even Republicans on the panel who, despite their prized assignment, get little chance to push their own priorities.</br></br>By setting up a free-for-all, Mr. Thomas is allowing conservatives to play a more prominent role in the debate. Their priorities have gotten short shrift in recent negotiations between Congress and the White House.</br></br>Starting tomorrow, Mr. Thomas said, "There's nothing on the table or off the table. We're going to let the committee build the product." He is unclear if House rules would allow him to start from scratch -- Democrats insist he at least needs a bill number and a title -- but if they do, he said, "My goal is to bring in a blank piece of paper."