Responding to public outrage over bonuses paid to American International Group Inc. executives, the U.S. House of Representatives slammed through a bill today that would impose a punitive 90-percent tax on bonuses paid by AIG and other financial companies that receive federal assistance.
The House vote was 328-93.
The bill would apply to bonuses of people receiving more than $250,000 per year. The bill would only apply to payments from companies receiving more than $5 billion from the federal government.
In all, 243 Democrats and 85 Republicans voted "yes" on the bill. The bill was opposed by six Democrats and 87 Republicans.
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) voted against the bill, saying it was "a political circus" to divert blame on the Obama administration for not doing more to block the bonuses in the first place.
However, in the end, nearly half of the Republicans in the House voted for the bill.
In the Wisconsin Congressional delegation, seven members voted for the bill: Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee); David Obey (D-Wausau); Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison); Ron Kind (D-La Crosse); Paul Ryan (R-Janesville); Thomas Petri (R-Fond du Lac); and Steve Kagen (R-Green Bay).
The sole member of the Wisconsin delegation who voted against the bill was Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Menomonee Falls).
It was not immediately clear about whether the bill would withstand a legal challenge.
Editor's note: This story may be updated with reaction later today.
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