U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist Thursday made the following statement after the Senate voted against proceeding to legislation that would permanently repeal the "Death Tax:"

“The Death Tax is an unfair burden inflicted upon America’s small businesses, farmers, and families during a time of grieving and pain. Wiping this vicious tax from the books is a matter of principle. We should protect — not punish — hardworking families by burying the Death Tax forever.

"It’s unfortunate that a minority of my Senate colleagues have blocked debate on permanent repeal of this wrongheaded tax.

"This won’t be the last time this year the Senate votes on this important issue — be it on the floor or in some other form. Getting rid of the Death Tax is just too important an issue to give up so easily.”

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander Thursday voted to proceed to a debate on H.R. 8, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Bill. The motion to proceed, which required 60 votes due to objections by opponents of death tax repeal, failed by a vote of 57 to 41.

“I'm disappointed that, once again, death tax repeal has been blocked by a minority of senators in the Senate,” said Sen. Alexander, cosponsor of two pieces of legislation aimed at permanently repealing the death tax. “Nobody should be forced to sell the family farm or small business they've just inherited in order to pay the tax bill.”

In 2001, Congress passed a phase-out of the death tax, with full repeal effective in 2010. If Congress does not act, the law will revert back to where it was prior to 2001, placing an enormous tax burden on family-owned farms and small businesses.

Sen. Alexander is a cosponsor of S. 420, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005, sponsored by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and S. 988, the Jobs Protection and Estate Tax Reform Act of 2005, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL). Both bills provide for permanent repeal of the death tax.

Senate candidate Bob Corker said he renewed his call for the permanent repeal of the death tax at a meeting with farm leaders in Maury County. The stop was the fourth in a series of statewide farm tours with agriculture leaders over the past few weeks.

He said, “The death tax is inherently unfair. Those who take risks and help grow our economy by providing good jobs should not be punished with this excessive taxation. In the Senate, I will work with other conservatives to finally pass a permanent repeal of the death tax so all farmers and small business owners can pass along their farm or business to the next generation.”