Barbara Kennelly: “I rise in support of H.R. 2778, tax relief for United States troops in Bosnia. We have before us today a piece of…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 2778, tax relief for United States troops in Bosnia. We have before us today a piece of legislation that really is an excellent piece of legislation. It shows that we can in fact work in a bipartisan manner. Mr. Speaker, as men and women struggle to bring peace to a region that has seen more than its fair share of horror and tragedy in Bosnia, we have decided that it is very timely at this time of year, before April, to address the concerns of our men and women in Bosnia and their tax situation, and what we have done is make it easier for men and women in Bosnia to file their income tax returns and have their combat pay exempt from taxation. Also, it was realized that officers in the area had a cap on their compensation that could not end. As a result, only a part of it could be tax free. I am pleased that the Committee on Ways and Means was able to report this important legislation in a bipartisan manner, and I also am pleased that we are able to relieve our men and women in Bosnia from the worries that all of the rest of us across the United States have concerning getting ready to pay our taxes to the United States Government.”