John Spratt: “This bill, compared to the Senate bill, taxes could be raised on enlisted men and women serving in Iraq by as much as…”

“This bill, compared to the Senate bill, taxes could be raised on enlisted men and women serving in Iraq by as much as $1,000 per child. It is a fact, a shocking fact about this bill. Let us take an E6, a sergeant, making $29,000. You have to make more than $10,500 in order to qualify for the child tax credit. That leaves him if he is state-side $18,500 times the 15 percent, two child tax credits for his two children. But let us assume now he goes to Iraq and let us assume he stays 8 months. That means $18,500 of his income, because he is in a combat zone, will not be subject to taxation. It is not taxable income. Therefore, his taxable income is only $9,500. What happens? By going to Iraq, by serving his country for 8 months in a combat zone, his family loses both of the child tax credits. This is not necessary. The Senate bill worked it out. It was deliberately deleted from the Senate bill, for what reasons I would certainly like the other side to explain. This is an outrage.”