[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HOUSE LEADERSHIP BLOCKING ARMED FORCES TAX FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, it is shameful that the House Republican 
leadership has passed a $230,000 tax break this year for people making 
over $1 million in dividend income, but that same leadership has 
bottled up for 7 months the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act.
  The House and Senate passed this bill unanimously in March. It seems 
the House Republican leadership objects to the fact that the Senate 
paid for the bill by closing the egregious tax loophole that lets 
Benedict Arnolds renounce their American citizenship in order to avoid 
paying American taxes.
  It is outrageous that the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hastert), and the majority leader, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. DeLay), seem to be more interested in protecting the 
Benedict Arnolds who turn their backs on America than helping patriotic 
Americans who are fighting for our country in time of war.
  It is insulting that the House leadership says today that we have 
time to rename three post offices in bills today, but they do not have 
time to schedule a final vote on the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act. I 
believe military families and veterans all across America will be 
deeply offended if Congress finishes its work this year without passing 
the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act.

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