Senate Rejects Charitable Donation of "Clunkers" In Extending Program

The U.S. Senate last Thursday approved a House bill that extended the "cash of clunkers" automobile purchase incentive program by appropriating an additional $2 billion for it. The Senate considered and defeated seven amendments. Unless the Senate passed the House bill without amendment, the program would effectively have been killed since the bill would have to go back to the House which is already in recess until September. (Washington Independent.) Among the amendments defeated was one by Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn that would have permitted car dealers to donate clunker trade-ins to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. (Full text of defeated amendment.)