The Senate to take lead on extending Bush tax cuts

House Ways and Means Chairman Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) said on Wednesday that the Senate would take the lead in extending tax cuts enacted by President George W. Bush. 

“They said they are going to act first,” he told reporters, adding, “In my discussions they have indicated that they are going to move on this — try to move on this in the near future.” 

Levin would not say whether the Senate would act before November’s election, but said he is firmly against extending the tax cuts benefiting the wealthy. 

“My own view is that the high income brackets should be allowed to expire,” he said. “I just think that the evidence is that the very wealthy have done, by and large, very well while the middle-income taxpayers have not.”