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Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act of 2006

Date: June 22, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Budget and Spending


PERMANENT ESTATE TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 22, 2006)

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5638.

Mr. Speaker, in the past, I had considered supporting legislation that would exempt the first $5 million per individual and $10 million per couple from the Federal estate tax.

I believed that to be a reasonable compromise to a complete repeal of the Estate Tax.

But I supported that figure of $5 and $10 million exemption before other tax cuts had driven us into huge deficits.

This Congress has already approved seven tax cuts.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, our Nation is currently engaged in two wars, two very costly wars in terms of human lives and Federal tax dollars.

Seven tax cuts and two wars make it difficult for me to support this reform of the Federal estate tax.

I also wish the House Republican leadership had allowed us to offer the reasonable democratic substitute amendment.

Our amendment would permanently raise the exemption on the estate tax to $3.5 million per person and $7 million per couple.

An exemption at that level would protect over 99 percent of all Americans from ever having to worry about paying the estate tax.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 5638.

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