WASHINGTON, June 14 (UPI) -- Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd said Sunday he is opposed to taxing benefits paid to U.S. workers under a healthcare reform bill in Congress.
Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Dodd, D-Conn., said Americans already carry a large tax burden.
"The idea of talking about taxing benefits at a time where people are already overwhelmed is, I think, a very bad idea," Dodd said.
He said potential savings from the White House plan and money already earmarked for the deal is enough to bankroll the legislation.
Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, a member of the Senate Tax Committee, said taxing benefits is a possibility.
"There is a lot of waste in government-run programs generally, and a lot of waste and fraud and misuse of money in Medicare and Medicaid that can be saved," Grassley said. "But right now, I could not put a figure on that amount of money."
