House Democrats Propose New 'War Surtax'

By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 2, 2007, 21:46 GMT

Rep. Jack Murtha (Democrat- Pennsylvania) (C) EPA/STEFAN ZAKLIN

Top House Democrats Tuesday proposed a "war surtax" to pay for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This was immediately condemned by Republicans and opposed by the House leadership.

Rep. Dave Obey Tuesday said the surtax is a way for "this generation" to foot the bill for the Iraq war, according to CNN.

The surtax would be "a percentage of your tax bill," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wisconsin. "And if you don't like the cost, then shut down the war."

Sponsored by Obey, Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, and Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, it would require low and middle-income taxpayers to add 2 percent to their tax bill, while higher-income taxpayers would add 12 to 15 percent, Obey said, reported CNN.

The House Democratic leadership was not in agreement. House speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted President Bush for not asking Americans to sacrifice and "adding hundreds of billions of dollars in debt for future generations to repay."

Pelosi said she will not back the Obey "war surtax" measure.

"Some have suggested that shared sacrifice should take the form of a draft; others have suggested a surtax. Those who oppose a tax and the draft also should oppose the president's war," Pelosi said. "Just as I have opposed the war from the outset, I am opposed to a draft and I am opposed to a war surtax."

A spokesman for the House Ways and Means committee, which handles all tax measures, told CNN "there's no expectation that this proposal will come before the committee."

The tax proposal was on the heels of the Bush administration's request for an additional $190 billion to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CNN reports that Obey estimated the surtax would annually generate between $140 and $150 billion dollars which is equivalent to the annual cost of the war in Iraq.

"This is the first time in American history that when a president has taken a country to war and said 'by the way folks, we're going to have to sacrifice and they way to sacrifice is by cutting your taxes.'" Obey said. "It makes no sense."

The Republican leadership condemned the proposal.