Political Quotes

“I thank Ranking Member Thornberry and Chairman Smith. Madam Speaker, I am grateful that the House and Senate have come to an agreement in this year's National Defense Authorization Act conference report to finally repeal the widow's tax. I appreciate my predecessor, the late Chairman Floyd Spence, who was one of the earliest proponents of eliminating the widow's tax, and I picked up on his efforts upon my election in 2001. Being the lead sponsor of this bill will always be meaningful to me. I made every effort to be bipartisan, always inviting all cosponsors of both parties to milestone achievements. Repealing the widow's tax has been personal to me. Lieutenant Colonel Trane McCloud was the military fellow in our office in 2003 and was sadly killed in Iraq on December 4, 2006. His wife, Maggie, and their three children, Hayden, Grace, and Meghan, have always been on my mind and in my heart as we fought for the repeal of the widow's tax. This legislation has the support of 383 Members in the House. This bill that is included in NDAA, has the largest number of cosponsors of any bill in the House of Representatives this Congress. I welcomed Congressman John Yarmuth to be the first cosponsor with the intention of always being bipartisan. This provision will restore the full amount of the survivor benefit annuity to more than 65,000 surviving military families. The repeal of the widow's tax will impact families who could receive an average of almost $12,000 a year.…”