There are a few reasons to think that the idea of estate tax repeal has little of the sway in Congress of even a year ago, when then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) put the issue on the floor every chance he could. First, the GOP is now divided in its approach to the deficit, with the President and some others desperate to restore their credentials as fiscally responsible.

David Broder has a good column today about the bipartisan housing trust fund, which passed the House with little notice by the press. Worth a read. Let it be known that the BudgetBlog holds no grudges or biases. You write a good column, you will be praised. You write a bad one, well...

Two key developments today point to a possible emerging House-Senate compromise on alternative minimum tax (ATM) legislation.

Last night, the Senate approved (75-19) the veto-threatened Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill. Next up: Labor-H October 17, 2007 House Senate Conf. Cmte. President Cmte. Floor $ Agriculture 18.8 18.7 $ Commerce-Justice- Science 53.6 54.6 54.6 Defense 459.6 459.6 459.6 $ Energy & Water 31.6 32.3 Financial Services 21.4 21.8 $ Homeland Security 36.3 37.6 37.6 $ Interior & Environment 27.6 27.2 $ Labor-HHS- Education 151.4 149.2 Legislative Branch 3.1 4