Congress also

should look at the alternative minimum tax, Collins added. "This

tax is punitive because it prevents families and individuals from taking

advantage of tax relief provisions already written into law. Repealing

the AMT would ensure working Americans can benefit from the tax relief

they deserve. This will go a long way toward providing working families

more savings and more earning power.

"Finally,"

Collins said, "consumers have been buffeted by erratic energy prices

because the Clinton-Gore Administration never developed an energy policy."

He blamed government policies for high gas prices this past summer.

"Heating

oil prices hit high levels, and are rising again this winter. The Congress

and the new administration must develop a coherent policy which will cushion

the impact on the U.S. economy of world energy market instability,"

he said.

"The world

energy markets are complicated, and must be taken into consideration as

we develop our strategy," Collins said. "We must also take into

account the impact of electricity and gas deregulation, as well as our

environmental regulations."

Collins called

for efforts to determine how the nation can increase domestic energy production

in an environmentally responsible way, and still encourage conservation

and the development of new technologies and sources of supplies.

"Energy

policy is too important for ad hoc policy," Collins said. "This

three-point tax, energy and interest rate agenda can help us get a head

start on problems which are facing us."