The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Finance Committee yesterday began a legislative push to simplify the tax code by asking all senators to identify what tax breaks, deductions and credits should be kept, the New York Times reported today. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said that they wanted to start the process by clearing the tax code of all special breaks. They gave their colleagues until July 26 to produce their so-called pardon list.
