On Day of State of the Union, South Dakota Legislature Sides With President Bush over Tom Daschle

WASHINGTON – In a victory for the taxpayers of South Dakota, the South Dakota House of Representatives and Senate passed twin resolutions requesting that Congress not to attempt to repeal or rescind any of the tax relief legislation passed by the United States Congress in May 2001.

The measure passed the South Dakota Senate today by a 24-9-2 margin, and the State House on January 16th by 60-8. State Representative Matthew McCaulley, who spearheaded the House resolution, said, "The South Dakota legislature sent a message to Washington: Don\’t mess with the tax cut and don\’t raise our taxes. Period."

The text of the resolution reads as follows:

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Requesting the United States Congress not to attempt to repeal or rescind any of the tax relief legislation passed by the United States Congress in May 2001.

WHEREAS, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (H.R. 1836) was passed with bipartisan support; and

WHEREAS, the bill granted much-needed tax relief for all working families in South Dakota; and

WHEREAS, some members of the United State Congress are calling for the repeal or delay of parts of the tax relief bill, which would, in effect, raise taxes on South Dakota\’s families:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the Seventy- seventh Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that the Congress of the United States be respectfully requested to leave the tax cuts in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (H.R. 1836) intact, to accelerate the tax cuts if needed, and to allow the tax cuts therein to be fully implemented.

Taxpayer Advocate Grover Norquist, who heads Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), issued the following statement::

"The two votes in South Dakota confirm the state\’s strong support for this president on the day of his State of the Union address. Yet, Senator Tom Daschle continues to obstruct progress on the President\’s economic plan. Why is Senator Daschle so out of touch with the voters and citizen legislators of his home state? Daschle is so wed to the government spending lobbies in Washington, D.C. that he has lost touch with his constituents in South Dakota. The Senator should revisit his views on taxes and the economy to reflect the sentiments of his constituents – who voted overwhelmingly for President Bush."