OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Andrew P. Carpenter Tax Act

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 19, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Taxes

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Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5044, the Andrew Carpenter Tax Act, was introduced by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. DesJarlais) in honor of Lance Corporal Andrew Carpenter, who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this Nation's freedom while serving in Afghanistan, and I'm a proud cosponsor of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his leadership in addressing a tax problem facing families of deceased servicemembers who have had their student loans forgiven.

Right now our Tax Code considers forgiven student loans cosigned by the servicemember's family as taxable income. This is just wrong for our Nation's military families, and that's what the gentleman from Tennessee's bill is all about. It would change the Tax Code so that the IRS will no longer be able to hit families of deceased servicemen and -women with a tax bill on the forgiven debt.

You see, Mr. Speaker, the life of a military family is not easy, but it is admirable. We must never forget that when one member of the family serves, all of the family serves. In a small but important way, this bill is really about protecting our Armed Forces and their families, just as they protect our freedom every day. They need to know their country is behind them.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate our guys fighting for us.

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5044, as amended, currently under consideration.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?

There was no objection.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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