[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 133 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H8938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REPEAL DEATH GRATUITY TAX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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 
today to talk about the repeal of the death gratuity tax on the 
families who have given their loved ones to die for freedom in America.
  Mr. Speaker, behind me are the faces of just a few of those who have 
died in either Afghanistan or Iraq. In the year 2001, there were 292 
families that received a bill from Uncle Sam in the way of a tax 
because their loved one died in uniform fighting for freedom. In the 
year 2002, there were 1,007 families that received a bill from Uncle 
Sam because their loved one died in uniform for freedom.
  Already in 2003, it is well over 280 families.
  Mr. Speaker, the history on this issue is that prior to 1991 or 1992, 
there was a $3,000 death gratuity that was given by the government to 
the families whose husband or wife or daughter or son died in uniform. 
It could be in an accident or war situation.

                              {time}  1500

  The Congress in the early 1990s increased that from $3,000 to $6,000, 
but what happened is it did not go through the proper committee to take 
the tax off.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I have a bill that is H.R. 693 to repeal this tax; 
and in fairness to the committee and to both sides, it has been 
supported by both sides. The committee of jurisdiction, the Committee 
on Ways and Means, included this language in a larger package to bring 
tax relief to the military, which was fine with me; but the Senate will 
not move the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I think it is absolutely 
unacceptable, deplorable that we do not take this tax off the families 
who are giving loved ones.
  Let me show a photograph of a young boy whose name is Tyler Jordan. 
This was a shot in a national newspaper that I saw, and I was so 
touched by it that I wanted to have a copy of it. Tyler's father was a 
gunnery sergeant named Phillip Jordan. He was killed in Iraq. In the 
photograph of Tyler, he has an American flag that was taken off his 
father's coffin under his arms and he is looking at the father's 
coffin. How tragic that is within itself, but adding to that tragedy is 
that next year his family is going to get a bill from Uncle Sam, a bill 
of $6,000, which is not enough; but we need to take this tax off so 
that the families who have lost loved ones will not be paying a penalty 
for giving the loved one who died for freedom and died for this 
country.
  This week I received an e-mail from the father of Sergeant Jacob 
Frazier, and I want to read this, Mr. Speaker. It says, ``Thank you for 
your support of H.R. 693. Our son, Sergeant Jacob Frazier, was killed 
in action on March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan. Upon being told we would 
be taxed on a portion of the $6,000 benefit, I was shocked and 
insulted. My son was not married, but I am sure that there are numerous 
young widows that do not need another complication in their lives. Our 
country should not add to their burden with additional taxation. Let me 
know if I can do anything to help you here in Illinois to get this bill 
passed.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am going to call on the House leadership, both 
parties, and ask the House leadership to please before we leave in 
November bring up H.R. 693, stand-alone bill. I have got many 
supporters from the Democratic side and the Republican side. Bring it 
to the floor, and let us morally do what is right for those families 
who have given their loved one.
  Mr. Speaker, I actually wrote the President of the United States on 
September 17 and asked him to please use the executive office to 
contact the leadership in the House and the Senate, both parties, to 
move this legislation. In the last paragraph I wrote this sentence to 
the President of the United States: ``Given the very little time left 
in this legislative session, failure to do so will result in more 
American military families not only giving a loved one for freedom but 
also suffering the unacceptable indignity of being taxed on that 
gift.''
  Mr. Speaker, we do a lot of good things around here and a lot of 
things we debate. We disagree, both parties and within our own parties. 
But this is one of those issues that it is simple. It is morally the 
right thing to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I close by asking God to please bless our men and women 
in uniform and, God, please bless America.

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