Word: rostenkowskis
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...chamber applauded loudly when Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) told colleagues in a rousing speech before the vote, "Each member of this House, Democrat and Republican, is worth a salary of $135,000 a year...
...quite. Opponents of boosting the 9.1 cents-per-gal. federal tax are gearing up for a fierce lobbying brawl. On one side stand the influential but unorganized advocates of the gas-tax increase, who range from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to Illinois Democrat Dan Rostenkowski, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. They argue that a gas-tax boost -- the proposals span from about 7 cents per gal. to 50 cents -- would be simple to administer and would bring a gusher of new revenues. As fringe benefits, the tax would help the environment and the U.S. trade position...
Still, supporters of a gas-tax increase say it has emerged as the best option for cutting the deficit. Each 1 cents per gal. would bring in $1 billion in annual revenue, according to a widely used rule of thumb. Rostenkowski last month suggested a 15 cents-per-gal. increase but would probably settle for less. To ease the burden on low-income motorists, Rostenkowski would provide them with income tax credits. Says Rostenkowski: "I don't think it's as regressive as people make it out to be." Advocates of the tax also point out that by throttling back...
...there is no real race. Upon retirement, a member elected before 1980 can keep this pot of money for his personal use -- a kind of IRA with no strings attached. So far, New York Democrat Stephen Solarz has piled up more than $800,000, as has Illinois Democrat Dan Rostenkowski; New Jersey Republican Matthew Rinaldo has $600,000. A law passed in 1979 allows members elected after that date to return unused campaign money to a charity, the member's political party or contributors...
...expenses-paid invitations are so enticing that a lawmaker will sometimes make the trip accompanied by his family. If he has already exceeded the annual limit on outside income (about $35,000 for a Senator, $26,000 for a Congressman), he donates the speaking fee to charity. Rostenkowski, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, will go almost anywhere golf is played. He gave 51 speeches last year; along the way he played in three celebrity golf tournaments, including the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. For leading two discussions on "handling stress," Speaker Wright was a guest at California...