[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1901-S1956]
From the Congressional Record Online |through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TEXT OF AMENDMENTS
SA 621. Mr. WICKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 11, setting forth the
congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year
2016 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal
years 2017 through 2025; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND TO REPEAL THE FOREIGN
ACCOUNT TAX COMPLIANCE ACT.
The Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate
may revise the allocations of a committee or committees,
aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution
for one or more bills, joint resolutions, amendments,
amendments between the Houses, motions, or conference reports
relating to fairness of United States taxpayers, which may
include the repeal of the provisions commonly known as the
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, by the amounts provided
in such legislation for that purpose, provided that such
legislation would not increase the deficit over either the
period of the total of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 or the
period of the total of fiscal years 2016 through 2025.
Hat Tip to Tim
So now it’s:
From what conceivable orifice was that number pulled?!
And now, ignoring due process and the rule of law is considered “leadership.”
@foo
Just tell the people what they want to hear. Give them a scapegoat! It worked for Hitler too.
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“Up until 8:00PM most observers expected that ALL amendments would be voted on but after that hour the Dems started to slow walk the voting.” (Tim)
“The Wicker amendment didn’t make it in or even get voted on.” (Jim Jatras)
In our Human Rights Complaint to the United Nations we stressed the fact that although there are opportunities for the United States to alter or repeal FATCA and CBT we cannot wait for all such “domestic” avenues to be exhausted before bringing our plight before the United Nations. This slap in the Wicker amendment’s face is exactly why. Congress deliberately avoided discussion of this issue.
What further proof does the UN need that our meager population of 7 whatever million souls is caught in a trap of abuse by a government that has appointed itself our supreme lord and master and allowed to get away with it by the acquiescence and/or indifference of the rest of the world? The avoidance of the Wicker amendment is going to head a list of addenda supporting our Complaint.
We are indeed in the middle of that famous nightmare when we’re yelling and screaming in a complete vacuum.
I nearly forgot …. if the budget passed does anyone know if the proposed amendment passed that would have allowed “accidental Americans” an easier way out? Something tells me this didn’t make it into discussion either.
@MuzzledNoMore
I hate being cynical, but the things that have been discussed here have made me so in spades. I don’t think that the amendment to save some pain for accidentals who didn’t deserve to be attacked, was never meant to go anywhere. It was only a used car dealer putting a lemon through the car wash to entice more potential buyers. Now that he’s a lame duck, Obama seems to be proposing things he knows won’t happen, in order to bolster his legacy. People forget that he could have actually achieved some of these things when he was new at the job. Now they can just blame the other guys that these things didn’t happen, absolving themselves from any responsibility.
Obama’s budget was addressed in its entirety. 1 yes, 98 no
(it wasn’t an amendment)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/24/obama-budget-defeated-98-1-senate-vote/
Thanks for pointing that out, amendment was not an accurate description. But 98 to 1 does suggest that the outcome would have been clear in advance, and noone would ever have to worry about obligations from any submissions contained in the document.
@Muzzled & Mark
Somebody apparently could have pushed harder; this quote from washington times article/link Mark posted:
U.S. | Government & Elections
Senate Budget Action Fails to Repeal Tax Transparency Law
by Sophia Har
Friday Mar 27th, 2015 1:20 PM
FATCA Repeal Fails
Budget amendment SA 621, to repeal the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), failed to reach the the US Senate floor for a vote on Friday. FATCA was originally passed in 2010 to prevent corrupt activities and Americans from evading taxes abroad. The law requires foreign financial institutions to disclose financial information or face penalties.
“It’s an unpopular idea to overturn existing tax transparency laws in the Senate,” said Eric LeCompte, executive director of the financial reform organization Jubilee USA Network, which generated thousands of phone calls into the Senate in support of FATCA. “The lack of support for repealing FATCA shows how important anti-corruption legislation is to Congress.”
Countries and financial institutions that sign FATCA compliance agreements with the US government agree to automatically share certain tax information. To date, over 77,000 banks and 80 countries have signed such agreements. In 2013, G8 leaders pledged to crack down on tax avoidance and improve transparency by working toward a global version of FATCA. The G20 that year agreed to automatically exchange information by the end of 2015 and called such exchange “the new standard.” In 2014, 47 countries agreed to a global standard of information exchange developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
FATCA is part of a global campaign for financial transparency,” noted LeCompte.
Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations and 400 faith communities working with 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee’s mission is to build an economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief to benefit the world’s poorest people. http://www.jubileeusa.org
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Absolutely disgusting that they will put ordinary families living abroad through the meat grinder just so that they can scrounge up enough to feed those that are in the US illegally (Oh, that’s right, Odumb*** just pardoned those illegals, my bad *sarcasm*.
This is the response I received today from a Florida state senator after I wrote to him that he support FATCA repeal in the budget vote:
“Dear Mrs. [name withheld],
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (P.L. 111-147), also known as FATCA, which established new reporting requirements for foreign banks with accounts held by American citizens.
FATCA was enacted to reduce offshore tax evasion by American taxpayers hiding assets in overseas accounts. I understand the Treasury regulations issued under FATCA raise legitimate concerns about the effect of the new rules on the availability of financial services for American citizens abroad, as well as the costs and administrative burdens of compliance. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I will be monitoring the implementation of these rules as they go into effect to determine what exact changes, if any, may be necessary.
Hundreds of tax proposals are offered in the U.S. Senate each year, and the Congress is considering a number of proposals to simplify our tax system. I have supported past efforts to reduce burdens on ordinary Americans, and I’m open to new ideas that facilitate the proper enforcement of our tax laws while ensuring taxpayers are not needlessly encumbered by Federal regulation.
I appreciate hearing your views on this issue. If you have any future concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
BillNelson”
Compare that to the letter that Elizabeth Warren sent her constituents, it’s clear who our friends are.
Thanks for posting the reply from Florida Senator Bill Nelson!
Translation: “As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I will be monitoring the implementation of these rules as they go into effect to determine what exact changes, if any, may be necessary.” = I’ll look into it if it doesn’t take time away from my campaigning and glad-handing to get myself reelected.
You’re welcome, Calgary411. I plan to keep the dialogue with the Senator going. I don’t think what he sent me was a form letter.