Summary

The last bill of the 109th Legislature was a melange of Trade, Taxes and Energy Initiatives.

Detail

The bill began life as tax bill, but became a last minute vehicle for everything that would fit.

Notable provisions include:
* Deductions and tax credits for for research and development, education costs, teaching supplies, state and local sales taxes in states without an income taxes, and development of alternative and efficient uses of energy.
* Open up areas of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling, and directing some of the proceeds to Gulf Coast Wetland Recovery
* Block a cut in Medicare payments to doctors
* Fund a program to help clean up abandoned coal mines and provide health care for miners who worked for companies that have gone out of business.
* Normalizes trade with Vietnam and extend trade benefits for four Andean nations, sub-Saharan African countries and Haiti.

Less Notable Provisions include
* Suspends the Duty on "DUAL-PRESS SANDWICH MAKERS WITH FLOATING UPPER LID AND LOCK." and 381 other enumerated products.

Additional Links

National Center for Policy Analysis "LAME DUCKS SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE" December 20, 2006