This was a vote on an amendment by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) that would have repealed a provision of a major health care law enacted in 2010 that required small businesses to file a tax form (a 1099 form) for all individuals who had received $600 or more from a business in exchange for property or merchandise. This amendment was offered to legislation authorizing annual funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. (The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has regulatory authority over all civil aviation in the United States.)

The 1099 provision that this amendment would have repealed was included in the landmark 2010 health care reform law to help raise tax revenue to pay for an expansion of insurance coverage.) The provision was widely viewed by members of both parties as overly burdensome for small businesses.

Since repealing this provision of the health care law would result in lost tax revenue, Levin’s amendment would have eliminated tax deductions for oil and gas companies (thereby preventing the amendment from adding to the national debt).

Levin urged support for the amendment: “…There is, I believe, overwhelming bipartisan support for repeal of the recent changes to the 1099 reporting requirement. Small businesses in my state and across the country have told us that the new reporting requirements they face under the…[health care law] will create an unnecessary burden that can make already tough times even tougher.”

No Republican spoke in favor of or against the amendment, yet all voted against it. The National Association of Manufacturers (a group generally allied with Republicans) put out a statement arguing the proposal would have “cost good-paying manufacturing jobs.” The statement also read: “Discriminatory tax policies that pick ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and pit industry sectors against each other undermine U.S. competitiveness, innovation and job growth.”

The Senate rejected this amendment by a vote of 44-54. 44 Democrats voted “yea.” All 47 Republicans and 7 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the Senate rejected an amendment that would have repealed a provision of a major health care reform law enacted in 2010 that required small businesses to file a tax form (a 1099 form) for all individuals who had received $600 or more from a business in exchange for property or merchandise – and eliminated tax deductions for oil and gas companies.