Rubio & Sen. Coons "AGREE" On New Bill
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Given the constant partisan bickering in Washington, it's rare that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle can "agree" on anything. But that's what has happened in a new bill co-sponsored by Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Delaware Senator Chris Coons.
The two freshmen Senators introduced the American Growth, Recovery, Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Act, or AGREE Act. The bill, according to the Democrat and Republican co-sponsors is forged on common ground between President Barack Obama's job plan and those from Congressional Republicans.
"The American people deserve solutions to create jobs, not more Washington gridlock and excuses," said Rubio. "The AGREE Act is a meaningful step to find common ground and create a better environment for job creators to start businesses or expand existing ones."
Among the elements of the bill that have been released:
- Extend Research & Development tax credits
- Give veterans a tax credit of 25 percent of the fee associated with starting a franchise up to $100,000
- Extend elimination of taxes on certain small business stock
- Eliminate the per-county numerical limitation for employment-based immigrant visas
- Adjust the limitations on family based visa petitions from seven percent per country to 15 percent
The plan will have to receive bi-partisan support in the House of Representatives and the Senate for it to have any possible chance of passing.
That new-found bipartisanship may be the key to both Rubio's and the GOP's success in the 2012 election.
"What Rubio is doing is giving his party good political advice," said Florida International University political science professor Dario Moreno. "He's saying to his party that the Republican Party cannot just be the party of 'no.'"
Moreno also said Rubio was showing wise political judgment when he urged fellow Republicans in an interview on Monday to tone down anti-immigrant rants.
"That rhetoric cannot sound anti-Hispanic if you want to ask Hispanics to vote for you in the next election cycle," Moreno said.
