Baucus Statement on Health Care Reform
In the Wisdom of Ben Sira, in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles, it is written:“There are no riches above the riches of health.” And the Swiss poet Henri Amiel wrote: “Health is the first of all liberties.” America is the richest nation in the world. But to our shame, we remain the only industrialized […]
Baucus Comments on MedPAC Physician Reimbursement Report
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee commented today on the need for Congress to reform the system used by Medicare to reimburse doctors for care to beneficiaries. His comments come after MedPAC, the independent federal body that advises Congress on issues affecting Medicare, released its report on […]
Baucus Comments on Non-profit Executive Compensation Report
MEMORANDUM To: Reporters and EditorsFrom: Carol Guthrie for Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.)Re: IRS report on non-profits’ executive compensation reporting Chairman Baucus is commenting this morning on new information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that a number of charities have misreported compensation to executives and high-ranking employees. From Chairman Baucus: “Of course I’m deeply […]
Baucus Statement on the 2007 Trade Agenda
I am pleased to convene the first of many hearings that the Committee will hold this year on international trade. And I am happy to welcome Ambassador Susan Schwab. Ambassador Schwab has demonstrated a steely resolve to promote America’s interests. And we thank her for her efforts. About a century ago, tens of thousands came […]
Statement of U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Senate Finance Committee Hearing Regarding the President’s Budget with Secretary Paulson
In his Poetics, Aristotle wrote that “beauty depends on . . . symmetry.” What is true of poetry is also true of policy. Attractiveness depends on balance. The budget before us today is badly off balance. The budget is not on the level, because it omits major costs. Beyond the current year, the budget includes […]
Baucus Comments on Minimum Wage Bill, Small Business Tax Incentives
Washington, DC – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) issued thefollowing statement after today’s cloture vote on H.R. 2, a bill to increase the minimum wage.The Senate is poised to consider a Baucus amendment to the House bill that should garner the 60 votes necessary to move a minimum wage increase forward in the […]
Baucus on Nomination of SSA Commissioner
We meet today to consider the nomination of Michael Astrue to be the next Commissioner of Social Security. Social Security is important. If Social Security did not exist, about one half of America’s senior citizens would live in poverty. Social Security’s long-run finances face a challenge. But they are not in crisis. According to the […]
Baucus Statement on Medicare Drug Price Negotiation
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), incoming Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued a statement today after a Committee hearing on the topic of price negotiation in the Medicare drug benefit. Baucus held the hearing to “get the facts” on drug pricing today, on how negotiation might work in the Medicare benefit, […]
Grassley: Taxpayer Advocate’s Report Affirms Need to Fix AMT, Shrink Tax Gap
Sen. Chuck Grassley, outgoing chairman of the Committee on Finance, today issued the following statement regarding the National Taxpayer Advocate’s Report to Congress. The National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, heads the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing […]
Baucus Statement on Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for Vietnam
Thirty-one years ago, the lights went out on the relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Diplomatic relations were broken off, and trade ceased. The story between our two countries became one of refugees, Prisoners of War, and soldiers missing in action. Hostility and mistrust prevailed. Normalization was a dream of the visionary or the […]