Is A 'User Fee' Different From A Tax?

The budget deal that both houses of Congress are trying to pass by the end of the week eliminates about half of the harsh automatic spending cuts known as the sequester. In order to do that, lawmakers want to raise revenues elsewhere.

The plan would make new federal government hires pay more into their pension funds, and make air travelers pay higher fees. The House Budget Committee says those fees shouldn't be considered taxes.

But tax policy analyst Roberton Williams disagrees. He joins Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti to explain why.