Republican Rule in Congress Ends With Tax Cuts, Trade Measure (Nicholas Johnston)

  By Nicholas Johnston

  Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Congress ended 12 years of Republican control by passing tax breaks, trade benefits and a nuclear accord with India, while leaving most budget work unfinished until Democrats take over in January.

  Democrats, who gained majorities in both chambers in the midterm elections last month, criticized Republicans for passing only two of 11 annual spending measures that fund government operations before adjourning for the year.

  ``It's not just that they turned out the lights,'' Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington told reporters. ``They took the light bulbs.''

  Among the last acts of the Republican-led Congress was passing a measure that extends $38 billion in corporate and individual tax breaks that mostly expired last year. It also allows expanded oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts and prevents a fee cut for doctors who are paid by Medicare.

  The measure renews a $16.3 billion research tax credit that benefits companies such as Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett- Packard Co., and St. Louis-based Monsanto Co., while including $1 billion incentive for retailers such as Bentonville, Arkansas- based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to hire welfare recipients, $2.7 billion for the restaurant industry by allowing faster amortization of construction and money to help clean up abandoned mines.

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