April 13, 1976
Page 10613
ORDER OF BUSINESS
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the following Senators are to be recognized for not to exceed 5 minutes except for the Senator from California (Mr. CRANSTON) , for 15 minutes, and the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. HUDDLESTON) for 10 minutes: Senators KENNEDY, HOLLINGS, HUMPHREY, MUSKIE, HASKELL, HATHAWAY, CLARK, BUMPERS, BAYH, MCGOVERN, CHURCH, PROXMIRE, CRANSTON, GLENN, GARY HART, PHILIP A. HART, METCALF, JACKSON, BIDEN, and HUDDLESTON.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, there is a consent agreement on the time. There are a number of Senators present who have requested time. If it is acceptable, I ask that the time be combined and that we have an opportunity to enter into a dialog for not to exceed the total time. This way we feel that we will best be able to present the views of the participating Members.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. In response to the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts, that has already been agreed to by the Senate, so it is up to the group to proceed as they wish.
Mr. KENNEDY. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the joint letter announcing this colloquy may be printed at this point in the RECORD.
There being no objection the letter was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
U.S. SENATE,
Washington, D.C.,
April 8, 1976.
DEAR COLLEAGUE: On Tuesday, April 13, 1976, we intend to reserve time on the Senate floor during the morning hour for a series of five-minute speeches on tax reform.
We hope that you will join us in support of this effort to discuss the state of the nation's tax laws, and that you will come to the Senate floor to participate in the series of statements.
April 13 is one of the last days the Senate is scheduled to be in session before April 15, the deadline for millions of ordinary taxpayers to file their tax returns for 1975. We believe that this agonizing time for the average citizen is an especially appropriate time for members of the Senate to state our views on tax reform and our goal of making the Internal Revenue Code more equitable for the nation's taxpayers and more efficient for the nation's economy.
As you know, the Senate Budget Committee has already provided a useful assist for this effort, by its recommendation of a $2 billion reduction in tax expenditures as part of the forthcoming First Concurrent Budget Resolution for fiscal year 1977.
We look forward to being with you on the Senate floor on April 13. If you wish to join this effort, please call Mary Jo Manning in Senator Hollings' office (46121).
Sincerely,
Edward M. Kennedy, Ernest F. Hollings, Hubert H. Humphrey, Edmund S. Muskie, Floyd K. Haskell, William D. Hathaway, Dick Clark, Dale Bumpers, Birch Bayh, George McGovern, Frank Church, William Proxmire, Alan Cranston, John Glenn, Gary Hart, Philip A. Hart, Lee Metcalf, Henry M. Jackson, Joseph R. Biden.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, at this time I thank the leadership for affording us the opportunity to make this presentation here this morning, 2 days before the American people file their income tax forms, on an issue which we think is basic and fundamental in terms of economic justice in this country.
We have a number of our colleagues who are ready to speak.
I wonder if perhaps the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. HUDDLESTON) would start us off, followed by the distinguished Senator from Maine, who has been the chairman of the Committee on the Budget. The Committee this year has committed the Senate, in an action which I completely and wholeheartedly endorse, to try to reduce tax expenditures by $2 billion. But perhaps the Senator from Kentucky will start off.