[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26008]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           PASS THE FALLEN PATRIOTS TAX RELIEF ACT, H.R. 3365

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge passage of the Fallen 
Patriots Tax Relief Act, H.R. 3365, which has been introduced by the 
distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi). Contemporaneous with 
the Persian Gulf conflict, Congress increased from $3,000 to $6,000, 
the military death gratuity payable to the survivors of deceased 
members of our Armed Forces.
  Unfortunately, unlike the original $3,000 benefit, this additional 
$3,000 to the survivors of our fallen patriots was left exposed to 
taxation. This cannot continue. The Fallen Patriots Tax Relief Act will 
restore the military death gratuity to its rightful and tax exempt 
status and increase the military death gratuity for survivors of our 
fallen patriots up to a total of $12,000, retroactively effective to 
September 11, 2001.
  Mr. Speaker, of course, so many today are tempted to measure their 
compassion in money. Let us make no mistake, no amount of money will 
mute or diminish these survivors' immeasurable pain, an immeasurable 
pain which can only be told by the mounting of time and the mercy of 
God.

                              {time}  2115

  Yet, still in support of and in tribute to our fallen and their 
families, our humanitarianism compels us to try. Consequently, in 
support of our troops and their families our words are prolific.
  Now, during this current Persian conflict, our deeds must best our 
rhetoric. It is the least and not the last we must do for those who 
have so terribly sacrificed and suffered for our freedom, for our 
country, for us.

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