Legislation for the Long Haul

The U.S. economy officially ended its eight-year expansion this summer. Unemployment is at a five-year high, and layoffs from big corporations are mounting. With cases of anthrax appearing across the country and the nation jittery about possible terrorist reprisals for the ongoing war in Afghanistan, Congress and the President have begun to take resolute—though sometimes partisan—steps to forestall a worsening of the recession and prevent further terrorist attacks.

Two weeks ago, President George W. Bush signed a new anti-terrorism bill into law. A bipartisan compromise, the legislation easily passed the House, and almost unanimously passed the Senate. It was inspiring to see such efficient negotiation during this time of national crisis. The bill will ease restrictions on sharing classified information among agencies and give law enforcement new means of investigating money-laundering banks. These regulations should lend critical tools to those responsible for America’s security.

In several instances, Republicans agreed to modify the harsh language of their original proposal. The Bush administration had asked for indefinite powers to detain immigrants, and Congress settled on a seven-day limit. The House also imposed a sunset provision on expanded surveillance measures—permission to use certain telephone and computer wiretaps without warrants will expire in four years rather than persist indefinitely.

While the quick action on the bill was both necessary and effective, some of the new regulations appear to have been inspired more by fear than by merit. Tapping Internet accounts without authorization threatens Americans’ civil liberties and is unlikely to significantly ease investigations. Detaining immigrants without charges condones discrimination by law enforcement.

On the other hand, sharing intelligence among agencies and demanding information about suspicious, large overseas bank accounts are long overdue measures.

As the nation’s economy worsens, however, Congress and the President have yet to agree on what should be done to prevent the recession from deepening. The House passed an economic stimulus package two weeks ago, the centerpiece of which is a massive corporate tax break. The plan is worth nearly $100 billion, of which $70 billion is earmarked for corporations. The most controversial Republican proposal was a retroactive repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax. Such a move would mean an enormous $25 billion government payout to a handful of blue-chip corporations for taxes they have paid over the past 15 years.

We are concerned that an economic stimulus package will be hastily pushed through at the expense of the middle class. Massive retroactive tax cuts for corporations might stem some of the layoffs that have accompanied the economic downturn, but they are unlikely to encourage new investment and will make it much more difficult for the government to help those Americans most affected by the recession. The current war and bleak economy should not be used as an excuse to further the administration’s pro-corporate agenda. The proposed corporate tax cuts will persist long after the economic recovery and may cause a serious fiscal crisis in Washington.

In a sign that Congress is having second thoughts about a massive corporate welfare package, Democrat leaders in the Senate have demanded that the plan include more provisions to help the unemployed and low-income workers. The administration has been having little success in persuading Democrats to compromise. We hope that the bill that passes the Senate will be fair to working Americans, who are finding their jobs increasingly insecure.

Congress and the President must continue to work together in order to ensure the economic health of our nation just as diligently as they have worked to increase national security. The bill on terrorism contains essential steps toward giving law enforcement agencies the tools they need to prevent future terrorist attacks. We hope the economic stimulus package that Congress passes will be in the interest of the whole nation as well.