Joe Wilson: “I cannot think of a more unfair and immoral tax than the death tax. It is fundamentally wrong to tax a person their…”

“I cannot think of a more unfair and immoral tax than the death tax. It is fundamentally wrong to tax a person their entire life and then, upon death, have the IRS take up to 60 percent of what they have saved. This is a cruel tax that punishes people for working hard and saving enough to pass something on to their children. This tax has hit the Palmetto State very hard, as in South Carolina, 1,518 death tax returns were filed in 2001. As a former probate attorney, I have seen firsthand where those who inherit family businesses or farms are forced to lay off workers, cut salaries, liquidate assets, or even take out loans to keep the doors open. Thanks to President Bush's leadership, we have passed legislation that would end the death tax, but only temporarily. I urge my colleagues to support the bill of the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Dunn), H.R. 8, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2003. We must make this repeal permanent and end this unfair tax. In conclusion, God bless our troops.”