September 1, 2000 vol. 1, no. 26
Contents: GOP
to Attempt Veto Override of Estate Tax Repeal Bill NADA
Opposes Rollover Ratings
GOP to
Attempt Veto Override of Estate Tax Repeal
Bill
President Clinton vetoed a bill (H.R. 8) Thursday that
would have repealed all estate and gift taxes over the next
decade, claiming that the true cost of the bill would bust the
budget while providing the overwhelming bulk of benefits only
to the wealthiest Americans. Republican House and Senate
leaders vowed a prompt veto override attempt, hoping to keep
the "death tax" issue alive in the fall campaign.
"I
don't think this is a fiscally responsible bill, and I don't
think this is a fair bill, and therefore I vetoed it," Clinton
said at a White House ceremony.
Clinton said he is open
to working with Republicans in an attempt to craft a
compromise that provides more targeted and immediate relief to
small business owners at a lower cost.
"President
Clinton has just given the back of his hand to working
families who want to leave their hard-earned small business to
their children after they die," Senate Majority Leader Trent
Lott said. "Apparently, even death can't protect you from the
Clinton-Gore administration's insatiable desire for higher
taxes."
The Senate returns to work Sept. 5, and Lott
said that he would try to override Clinton's veto of both the
estate tax and the marriage penalty relief bill during the
first two weeks of September. The estate tax repeal bill
passed by a 59-39 margin – short of the 67 votes needed to
override Clinton if all 100 senators vote.
In the
House, 65 Democrats joined all Republicans in passing the bill
on a 279-136 vote, just over the two-thirds threshold
necessary to override the veto. House GOP leaders tentatively
plan next Thursday to put those Democrats on the spot –
particularly those in difficult re-election fights – and some
say they will vote against Clinton.
[Editor's Note:
NADA's Legislative Affairs office is contacting swing
Democratic House members to urge them to vote to override the
veto.]
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NADA Opposes Rollover Ratings
NADA this week told safety regulators that their
proposed rollover potential rating system will not provide the
public with useful and understandable information or
significantly reduce rollover-related crashes and
injuries.
In comments filed with the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, NADA explained that vehicle design,
upon which the rollover potential rating system is based,
plays a relatively minor role in rollover accidents. Excessive
vehicular speed, operator impairment, improper off-road
operation, poor road/highway design, and driver inexperience
are far more significant.
To help reduce the number of vehicles that enter into
rollover situations, NADA urged NHTSA and its public
information "partners" to modify and enhance their consumer
education efforts to stress how environmental and
operator-related factors may impact on vehicle
rollovers.
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National Automobile Dealers Association Public
Affairs Group 703-827-7407 nada@nada.org
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