Budget Agreement and Tax Reform

Senate Majority Leader Lott spoke about the federal budget agreement, taxes and the agenda in the United States Senate. Sen. Lott discussed his duties as Majority Leader and said they included trying to find “common ground” due to Republican majority in the Congress and a Democrat in the White House. He also discussed fiscal bargaining between Congress and the White House in appropriations bills and negotiations concerning the Chemical Weapons Treaty. Sen. Lott went into detail about the recent agreement between Congress and the White House on a balanced budget. Sen. Lott intimated that negotiations almost broke down over a $20 million disagreement over different areas of emphasis between the two sides. Sen. Lott said that the Congress would be looking into new and different ways to raise revenue. Sen. Lott also discussed the budget agreement as it relates to the future. Sen. Lott said the current tax system “must be scrapped” because it is “unfixable” and that the federal government m close