ABSTRACT
When Democrats took over the reins of Congress in January of 2007, they began to consider policies that were different from those adopted by the Republican majority. Suddenly a compromise bill on immigration seemed possible. The GOP-controlled House had produced a very conservative bill in 2006, and compromise with the Senate and the president (who preferred more moderate approaches) had failed. Other ideas were suddenly on the agenda. Environmental groups pushed Congress to address greenhouse gases, including increased federal mandates for fuel economy for automobiles and trucks. As Democrats worked to find a way to pay for increased health coverage for children, an increase in the tobacco excise tax emerged as a possible revenue source.
