Grassley Still Hoping for Charitable Package as Part of Pension Reform

As pension reform conferees begin to close in on an agreement, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Grassley is still very much pushing to get the tax extenders package (e.g., research and development credit, state and local sales tax deductions) INCLUDING the charitable package into pension reform legislation.

According to BNA, Grassley said yesterday the overall cost of pension legislation is being hammered out in conference and will influence the size of the tax extenders package to be tucked into it. Specifically he said conferees need to get the pension bill completed and scored, in light of sensitivity about the combined cost of the pension bill and tax package. He also said, "We are working on the tax bill and maybe, in substance, it is agreed to," though the size is not going to be determined until conferees get done with the pension bill.