Grassley hopes President’s tour will lead to bigger tax cut

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is hopeful President Bush’s campaign-style swing to whip up interest in lower taxes will be successful in swaying Senators to adopt Bush’s larger plan. The Senate started debate on a smaller tax cut plan Monday, as the President visited several states, including Nebraska. Grassley, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, says the tax cut would “refuel the economy and create jobs.During his speech yesterday in Omaha, the President urged the Senate to pass a tax cut larger than the 350-billion dollar one before the chamber. Even though Bush’s original bill called for 726-billion in tax cuts, he says he now endorses the 550-billion dollar House version. Grassley, a Republican, says his priorities are to expand income tax relief.Bush urged crowds at manufacturing plants in New Mexico and Nebraska yesterday to pressure Capitol Hill to approve large tax cuts, not what he called “little-bitty” ones, to stimulate the economy. Grassley hopes those words echo in the Senate this week. Grassley says “lifting the tax burden is good fiscal policy that will give the economy a shot in the arm.”