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Detail for 2006 House Roll Call Vote 315

Vote Date
22-Jun-2006
Yeas : Nays
269 : 156

Our Congress Position Report shows how every member voted during this vote.

Information about the vote from special interest groups and other information providers in our Report Cards:

American Conservative Union

Estate Tax Reduction.

The House passed a bill significantly reducing the estate tax (the so-called death tax) and indexing the reduction for inflation.

AFL-CIO

Estate Tax Cuts.

H R. 5638—In 2005, the House voted to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, a tax cut that would cost nearly $1 trillion between 2012 and 2021 but would benefit fewer than the wealthiest 0.5 percent of U.S. families. The media campaign to repeal the estate tax has been bankrolled by 18 wealthy families whose net worth exceeds $185 billion. The Senate rejected the total repeal of the estate tax, but the House tried again with a slightly scaled back version that would exempt estates of less than $5 million for an individual ($10 million for a couple), while reducing taxes on larger estates. The so-called “scaled back” bill would still cost $774 billion, threatening critical domestic programs that are already being squeezed as a result of earlier Bush tax cuts for investors and wealthy families. The bill was passed.

Americans for Democratic Action

HR 5638. Estate Tax Reduction.

Passage of a bill to reduce the estate tax. Effective in 2010, the first $5 million of an individual's estate would be exempt, and the first $10 million of a couples' estate, with the exemption indexed for inflation thereafter. Beginning in 2010, the rate at which estates are taxed would be reduced to the tax rate on capital gains for estates up to $25 million and twice the rate on capital gains for estates of $25 million or more.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Death Tax Repeal—H.R. 5638.

The House passed H.R. 5638, the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act. H.R. 5638 would have brought much-needed certainty to small business planning by keeping the death tax off the books after 2010. This would free up resources currently being used to plan or pay for the death tax to be spent on business expansion and job creation.

National Education Association

Estate Tax.

This group opposed passage of the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act (H.R. 5638), which would make permanent the repeal of the estate tax, thereby seriously jeopardizing funds at the federal and state levels for education and other priorities. The bill passed.

Republican Liberty Caucus (Economic Liberty)

H.R. 5638.

Estate Tax/to permanently reduce.

National Federation of Independent Business

Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act of 2006.

Sponsored by Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif.., this bill would provide small businesses with permanent relief from the death tax by allowing spouses to pass the unused portion of their $5 million exemption to their surviving spouse for a potential of $10 million. Additionally, this bill indexes the exemption for inflation, links the rates to the current capital gains rates, and maintains a full step-up basis.

Citizens Against Government Waste

Estate Tax Reduction - Passage.

The House passed the bill that would reduce the estate tax, providing an exemption of $5 million for individuals and $10 million for couples, effective in 2010 and indexed for inflation.

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees

Estate Tax Repeal.

The House of Representatives approved a “scaled back” version of a bill (H.R. 5638) to repeal the estate tax. The House had approved a repeal of the federal estate tax in 2005 that would have cost the U.S. Treasury nearly $1 trillion between 2012 and 2021, but the Senate rejected this outrageous giveaway to the wealthiest individuals. The slightly scaled back bill would exempt estates of less than $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple. With a price tag of $774 billion, this tax cut — along with the earlier Bush tax cuts — would further deprive working families of vital domestic services while providing yet another windfall to wealthy Americans.

Children's Defense Fund Action Council

Reducing Taxes of Wealthy Estates, H.R. 5638.

The House passed a bill to permanently reduce the estate tax on multi-million dollar estates, exempting from taxation individual estates valued up to $5 million and family estates up to $10 million. Beginning in 2010, the legislation would reduce tax rates for estates up to $25 million. Reducing taxes on multi-million dollar estates would drastically reduce federal revenues needed to support vulnerable children and families and meet other critical domestic needs. The House valued millionaires and billionaires over children and families who need health and mental health coverage, child care and living wages to escape poverty.

Service Employees International Union

House Approves Estate Tax Repeal.

The House approved a measure that would repeal most of the estate tax—a move that benefits only the wealthiest Americans. The bill exempts most estates from the tax and lowers taxes for the wealthiest estates. This bill benefits a very small percentage of the population and jeopardizes the services that millions of Americans rely on. If tax breaks for the wealthy pass the Senate as well, average Americans would have to foot the bill through cuts in education, health care and services for the elderly.

Americans for Tax Reform

Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act.

The House passed H.R. 5638, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the unified credit against the estate tax to an exclusion equivalent of $5,000,000 and to repeal the sunset provision for the estate and generation-skipping taxes.

Alliance for Retired Americans

Skewed Estate Taxes.

The House passed an estate tax bill that would exempt estates up to $5 million for individuals and $10 million for couples. Larger estates would receive even more tax relief than under current law. An additional $774 billion would be added to the national debt. The House passed the bill.

BIPAC

H.R.5638, On Passage.

Passage of this bill would extend estate tax relief and reduce capital gains on certain asset sales.

The Club for Growth

Estate Tax Cut.

Vote on passage of the bill that would reduce the estate tax, including $5 million and $10 million exemptions for individuals and couples, respectively. The tax rate would be tied to the capital gains rate over $25 million, and double the capital gains rate over $50 million. The estate tax (aka "Death Tax") is a punitive and unfair form of taxation that punishes saving and investment. This bill passed.
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