WALLY HERGER: “all across America following the death of a loved one, people of modest means are all too often faced with the grim…”

“all across America following the death of a loved one, people of modest means are all too often faced with the grim prospect of selling a family farm or small business just to pay the taxes that come due. Such was the case in my own family when my cousins had to sell the farm that had been in our family since the early 1900s just to pay the taxes. This is simply wrong. I rise in strong support of the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act. Like many others in the House, I continue to strongly support permanent repeal of the death tax. Americans should not have to pay this onerous double tax on savings and capital. Currently, we are scheduled to have a 1-year full repeal of the death tax in 2010, but if Congress fails to act, the death tax will return full force in 2011, reducing exemption levels and restoring maximum tax rates of nearly 60 percent. Mr. Speaker, this bill before us institutes permanent relief for those subject to the death tax and restores predictability and certainty to small business owners and family farmers planning for the future. It boosts exemption levels and adjusts them for inflation, and with maximum rates tied to capital gains rates, those still subject to the tax will see their burden significantly reduced. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.”