Shelley Berkley: “as Veterans Day approaches, the timing could not be more appropriate for Congress to be considering the HEART Act. This…”

“as Veterans Day approaches, the timing could not be more appropriate for Congress to be considering the HEART Act. This legislation will help veterans and their families, and it will also show them that their fellow citizens appreciate their service and honor their sacrifices for our country. Nevada has one of the fastest growing veterans populations in the country, and I have seen firsthand the economic hardship that extended military deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused. The HEART Act will allow more families to qualify for the earned income tax credit or to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans in time of true economic need to help ease the burden of deployment. Nevada has suffered 59 deaths during the global war on terror, including 46 in Iraq. I support the provisions of this bill that will allow the spouses of those who sacrificed their lives to be better able to plan for their futures and those of their children. As a member of both the Ways and Means Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I strongly support this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bipartisan legislation.”