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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,326346,00.html
Illegal Immigrant Taxpayers to Benefit From House-Approved Stimulus Plan
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
WASHINGTON - The $146 billion stimulus package intended to jolt the economy
by giving taxpayers rebates up to $1,200 includes cash returns for illegal
immigrants who pay taxes.
Under the plan passed by the House, illegal immigrants who qualify as
"resident aliens" and earned a minimum of $3,000 would be eligible for
rebates of between $300-$600, FOX News has learned.
Only those illegals who have been assigned an Individual Tax Identification
Number that allows them to file income taxes would be eligible. Resident
aliens are defined as people who spend a "substantial" amount of time in the
U.S. and have not been deported.
The provision has irked illegal immigration opponents, who say the assigning
of TINs and collection of taxes from illegals sanctions their presence in
the country.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told FOX News that the bill will certainly
stimulate "more illegal immigration."
The stimulus plan met with overwhelming bipartisan support Tuesday, passing
the House 385-35 with little debate after House leaders and White House
negotiators came to agreement last week.
Opponents of the illegal immigrant eligibility provision point out that the
House considered the bill under "suspension of the rules." Suspension
provisions allow the House to expedite bills and don't open them up to the
usual amendment process.
The plan, which would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least
$3,000 in income- with more going to families with children and less going
to wealthier taxpayers - faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
Senate Democrats and some Republicans support a larger package that adds
billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and reduces the
rebate for individuals to $500 and $1,000 for couples.
The Senate version written by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus would
deliver checks even to the richest taxpayers, who are disqualified under the
House-passed measure.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blasted the proposal to send rebates to
those with higher incomes, saying it "causes me to want to gag." The feeling
is widespread among Democrats, he added, saying the "the gag reflex is
coming upon everybody" over the plan.
President Bush and House leaders urged the Senate to take the bipartisan
agreement and pass it quickly, even as Baucus, D-Mont., planned a Wednesday
vote in his committee on a larger package that could face a slower path.
"We need to get this bill out of the Senate and on my desk," Bush said in
the Oval Office.
Congressional leaders are aiming to send the measure to Bush by Feb. 15. But
the divergent plans - and bids by Senate Democrats and Republicans to swell
the package with more add-ons - could drag out that schedule.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she hoped the Senate would "take
this bill and run with it."
Reid, D-Nev., said that was unlikely in the freewheeling Senate, where
members have elaborate wish-lists for adding to the bill, including food
stamps, Medicaid and heating assistance for low-income people and spending
on infrastructure projects, among other things.
"I think that there's 51 Democratic senators without exception who believe
this package can be made better," Reid said, adding that he also expected to
have enough GOP support to change it.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said reopening the deal
would be inappropriate.
"This is not a time to get into some kind of testing of wills between the
two congressional bodies. This is a time to show we can rise above
partisanship, do something important, and do it quickly," McConnell said.
The House plan brought together Democrats and Republicans, both of whom
surrendered cherished proposals to reach a deal and cautioned against adding
items that could hinder an economic recovery or scuttle the agreement.
"It's important that this bill not get overloaded. I have a full agenda of
things I would like to have in the package, but we have to contain the
price," Pelosi said. "We made a decision, because that's where we could find
our common ground."
Americans "expect us to find ways to work together, not reasons to fight
with each other," said Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, who forged the
agreement with Pelosi in consultation with Treasury Secretary Henry M.
Paulson.
"The sooner we get this relief in the hands of the American people, the
sooner they can begin to do their job of being good consumers," Boehner
said.
The measure would send rebates to some 111 million people, including roughly
35 million families who don't make enough to pay income taxes. Individuals
with adjusted gross income of $75,000 and couples making $150,000 would get
rebates equal to the taxes they paid, up to $600 for individuals and $1,200
for couples. Those making more than that would see their rebate go down by 5
percent of every dollar of income over the limits.
Taxpayers would get at least $300, even if they paid less than that in
taxes - or $600 for couples. That's also the case for those who don't pay
income taxes but earn at least $3,000.
All eligible people would get an additional $300 per child.
In the Senate, Baucus' proposal removes the income caps and would send
rebates to some 20 million senior citizens not covered by the House plan
because they don't have income. Baucus' plan also extends unemployment
payments for 13 weeks for those whose benefits have run out, with 26 more
weeks available in states with the highest jobless rates.
The Senate measure would restore a business tax break dropped during the
House negotiations that would permit corporations suffering losses now to
reclaim taxes previously paid.
Both packages include roughly $50 billion worth of tax incentives for
businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.
To address the mortgage crisis, the House bill would raise the limit on
Federal Housing Administration loans from $362,790 to as high as $729,750 in
expensive areas, allowing more subprime mortgage holders to refinance into
federally insured loans. To widen the availability of mortgages nationwide,
it also would boost the cap on loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can
buy, from $417,000 up to $729,750 in high-cost markets. Those measures would
expire at the end of the year.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y, said Tuesday that he plans to ensure those
changes are part of the Senate stimulus bill.
Illegal Immigrant Taxpayers to Benefit From House-Approved Stimulus Plan
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
WASHINGTON - The $146 billion stimulus package intended to jolt the economy
by giving taxpayers rebates up to $1,200 includes cash returns for illegal
immigrants who pay taxes.
Under the plan passed by the House, illegal immigrants who qualify as
"resident aliens" and earned a minimum of $3,000 would be eligible for
rebates of between $300-$600, FOX News has learned.
Only those illegals who have been assigned an Individual Tax Identification
Number that allows them to file income taxes would be eligible. Resident
aliens are defined as people who spend a "substantial" amount of time in the
U.S. and have not been deported.
The provision has irked illegal immigration opponents, who say the assigning
of TINs and collection of taxes from illegals sanctions their presence in
the country.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told FOX News that the bill will certainly
stimulate "more illegal immigration."
The stimulus plan met with overwhelming bipartisan support Tuesday, passing
the House 385-35 with little debate after House leaders and White House
negotiators came to agreement last week.
Opponents of the illegal immigrant eligibility provision point out that the
House considered the bill under "suspension of the rules." Suspension
provisions allow the House to expedite bills and don't open them up to the
usual amendment process.
The plan, which would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least
$3,000 in income- with more going to families with children and less going
to wealthier taxpayers - faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
Senate Democrats and some Republicans support a larger package that adds
billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and reduces the
rebate for individuals to $500 and $1,000 for couples.
The Senate version written by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus would
deliver checks even to the richest taxpayers, who are disqualified under the
House-passed measure.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blasted the proposal to send rebates to
those with higher incomes, saying it "causes me to want to gag." The feeling
is widespread among Democrats, he added, saying the "the gag reflex is
coming upon everybody" over the plan.
President Bush and House leaders urged the Senate to take the bipartisan
agreement and pass it quickly, even as Baucus, D-Mont., planned a Wednesday
vote in his committee on a larger package that could face a slower path.
"We need to get this bill out of the Senate and on my desk," Bush said in
the Oval Office.
Congressional leaders are aiming to send the measure to Bush by Feb. 15. But
the divergent plans - and bids by Senate Democrats and Republicans to swell
the package with more add-ons - could drag out that schedule.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she hoped the Senate would "take
this bill and run with it."
Reid, D-Nev., said that was unlikely in the freewheeling Senate, where
members have elaborate wish-lists for adding to the bill, including food
stamps, Medicaid and heating assistance for low-income people and spending
on infrastructure projects, among other things.
"I think that there's 51 Democratic senators without exception who believe
this package can be made better," Reid said, adding that he also expected to
have enough GOP support to change it.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said reopening the deal
would be inappropriate.
"This is not a time to get into some kind of testing of wills between the
two congressional bodies. This is a time to show we can rise above
partisanship, do something important, and do it quickly," McConnell said.
The House plan brought together Democrats and Republicans, both of whom
surrendered cherished proposals to reach a deal and cautioned against adding
items that could hinder an economic recovery or scuttle the agreement.
"It's important that this bill not get overloaded. I have a full agenda of
things I would like to have in the package, but we have to contain the
price," Pelosi said. "We made a decision, because that's where we could find
our common ground."
Americans "expect us to find ways to work together, not reasons to fight
with each other," said Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, who forged the
agreement with Pelosi in consultation with Treasury Secretary Henry M.
Paulson.
"The sooner we get this relief in the hands of the American people, the
sooner they can begin to do their job of being good consumers," Boehner
said.
The measure would send rebates to some 111 million people, including roughly
35 million families who don't make enough to pay income taxes. Individuals
with adjusted gross income of $75,000 and couples making $150,000 would get
rebates equal to the taxes they paid, up to $600 for individuals and $1,200
for couples. Those making more than that would see their rebate go down by 5
percent of every dollar of income over the limits.
Taxpayers would get at least $300, even if they paid less than that in
taxes - or $600 for couples. That's also the case for those who don't pay
income taxes but earn at least $3,000.
All eligible people would get an additional $300 per child.
In the Senate, Baucus' proposal removes the income caps and would send
rebates to some 20 million senior citizens not covered by the House plan
because they don't have income. Baucus' plan also extends unemployment
payments for 13 weeks for those whose benefits have run out, with 26 more
weeks available in states with the highest jobless rates.
The Senate measure would restore a business tax break dropped during the
House negotiations that would permit corporations suffering losses now to
reclaim taxes previously paid.
Both packages include roughly $50 billion worth of tax incentives for
businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.
To address the mortgage crisis, the House bill would raise the limit on
Federal Housing Administration loans from $362,790 to as high as $729,750 in
expensive areas, allowing more subprime mortgage holders to refinance into
federally insured loans. To widen the availability of mortgages nationwide,
it also would boost the cap on loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can
buy, from $417,000 up to $729,750 in high-cost markets. Those measures would
expire at the end of the year.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y, said Tuesday that he plans to ensure those
changes are part of the Senate stimulus bill.
