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House backs resolution urging Congress to make recent federal tax cuts permanent after floor amendments
Summary
The House passed HCR 5 urging Congress to make federal tax cuts permanent and added language urging reduced federal spending; an attempted floor amendment to include a constitutional balanced‑budget amendment failed 18–47 before the resolution passed 58–14.
The Utah House passed HCR 5 on Feb. 3, 2004, a resolution urging Congress to consider making the recent federal tax cuts permanent and, after floor amendment, urging concurrent attention to reducing federal spending and the deficit.
Representative Chad Bennion introduced the resolution, arguing that returning more money to citizens spurs economic activity. Representative Cheryl Allen placed the measure in circle to prepare amendments; she later offered an amendment (Amendment No. 2) calling for more explicit emphasis on federal spending reduction and deficit control alongside urging permanence for the cuts. Representative Hansen proposed inserting language supporting a constitutional balanced‑budget amendment; that proposal failed on a recorded tally of 18 yes and 47 no.
Floor debate included fiscal conservatives urging permanence to maintain economic momentum and other members cautioning against turning the resolution into an omnibus set of economic prescriptions. After previous‑question motions and a floor summation, HCR 5 passed the House by 58 yes to 14 no and will be forwarded to the Senate.
Next steps: The resolution will be transmitted to the U.S. Congress and the Senate for consideration; proponents said they expect advocacy groups to use the resolution in federal lobbying, while other members noted the state's resolutions do not bind federal action.
