[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8260-H8261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SUPPORT H.R. 693, THE MILITARY DEATH GRATUITY TAX REPEAL ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kline). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am back on the floor 
tonight to say to the House and to the other body, the Senate, that we 
need to pass legislation to remove the tax that is sent to the families 
of those who have given their loved one to die for this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to introduce my colleagues to a young man whose 
name is Tyler Jordan. Tyler's father, gunny sergeant Phillip Jordan, 
died for this country. He died in Iraq. He gave his life for this 
country. Yet, Mr. Speaker, because we have not removed a tax on the 
death gratuity that will be sent to his family this year, next year his 
family will have to pay a tax on $6,000.
  Last year I put a bill in that would remove this tax; and it was 
supported by both parties, Democrat and Republican. It was sent in a 
larger bill to the Senate, but the Senate could not find the time to 
pass the legislation. This year again, the House, in a bipartisan way, 
Democrat and Republican, have sent to the Senate a larger bill with 
this provision in it to remove this tax on this death gratuity, and the 
Senate still has not taken the time to pass it.
  Behind me are faces of those who have given their lives for this 
country. Their families next year will receive a tax bill from Uncle 
Sam. Mr. Speaker, I think when a family gives a loved one dying for 
freedom, the least that the House and the Senate can do is to repeal 
this tax.
  The history of this is that in the early 1990s, there was a $3,000 
death gratuity sent to the family. It was increased to $6,000, but the 
Congress did not take off the tax on the additional $3,000, so that 
means on the $6,000 death gratuity that is sent to the family, a tax 
will have to be paid. Mr. Speaker, I am going to call on the House 
leadership, both Republican and Democrat, the Senate leadership, and 
the President of the United States that we not leave here in November 
of this year and say to the families who have given a loved one that 
you are going to receive a tax bill from Uncle Sam.
  I look at this young man that I hold up again, his name is Tyler 
Jordan. His father, Phillip, a Marine, gunny sergeant, died for this 
country. Yet not only did he give up his father, but also his family is 
going to be asked to pay a tax. This is unacceptable. There are many 
issues that we debate here in the House of Representatives, many issues 
that are so important; but is there anything more important than to say 
to a family, you gave a loved one for this country. The least we can do 
is to eliminate this tax.
  So I am asking my colleagues on both sides of the political aisle to 
please help me encourage the House leadership, both Republican and 
Democrat, that we not leave this year without sending to the floor of 
the House H.R. 693, a bill that I have introduced supported by both 
sides, the military death gratuity tax repeal, get it to the floor and 
pass it. Because I do not want to come back here in 2004 and think that 
we have asked a family that gave a loved one that they had to pay a 
tax.
  Let me give my colleagues a quick example. On September 11 of 2001, 
over 292 military families paid a tax on the gift of a loved one. In 
the year 2002, if this bill had passed last year, but since it did not 
pass, 1,700 families had to pay a tax on the gift of a loved one who 
died for freedom in America.
  So, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope as I conclude tonight that as we look 
at the faces of these who have given their lives for America, we look 
at the little boy who gave his father for this country, that we will 
not leave here in November without passing H.R. 693 on the floor of 
this House and let us send it to the other body and ask them to pass 
that legislation. I am going to write a letter to the President of the 
United States, send it tomorrow, and ask the President to please get 
behind this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I close as I do in my district and I did last night: I 
ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform, to please bless 
their families, and I ask God to please in his loving way in

[[Page H8261]]

his arms to hold the families who have given their loved ones dying for 
freedom. I ask God to please bless the American people, to bless the 
House and Senate that we will do what is right in the eyes of God 
Almighty. I ask God to please be with the President of the United 
States so that he will do what is right for the future of this country. 
And I ask three times, God please, God please, God please continue to 
bless America.

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