Today, Secretary Treasury John Snow sent a letter to Finance Committee Chairman (and tax bill conferee) Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) stating "the Administration's strong support for the extension... of dividends and capital gains tax relief included in the House-passed bill." Both Grassley and Thomas are known to be in favor of this extension as well. In the letter Snow mentions how this tax cut has helped strengthen the economy since it was passed in 2003. In reality, this costly extension would benefit the very wealthiest in society while adding to the deficit. Furthermore, Snow encourages Congress in the letter to include in the bill a one-year patch for the alternative minimum tax. Including both an AMT patch as well as a tax cut extension in the tax reconciliation bill will prove to be an extremely costly manuever.