Representative Shelley Berkley, a Nevada Democrat, is the latestlawmaker to consider legislation allowing multinational companiesto send offshore profits to the U.S. at a reduced tax rate.

Her proposal, which was confirmed yesterday by Berkley'scommunications director, David Cherry, would allow companies toreturn profits to the U.S. at a 25 percent tax rate, 10 percentagepoints below the maximum statutory rate. Most companies publiclysupporting a holiday, such as Duke Energy Corp., have spokenfavorably of the 5.25 percent rate that is being offered byRepresentative Kevin Brady, a Texas Republican.

Berkley's openness is a sign of further thawing in Democraticopposition to a repatriation holiday, which they have argued wouldbe a giveaway to companies that wouldn't have to use the money tocreate jobs. As recently as 2009, 48 members of the SenateDemocratic caucus opposed a proposed repatriation holiday.