Issues
TROOPS AND MILITARY FAMILIES:
I support out troops and am working to reduce the lengthy and repeated deployments of our active duty military as well as Guard and Reserve troops by fighting to expand the active duty military by adding tens of thousands of new troops. Not only will this allow our troops to rotate on a more regular basis, it will also ensure we have enough troops to meet challenges that may arise at home, or elsewhere around the world.
I believe military families are one of our country's greatest military resources. I have written the Military Family Bill of Rights and believe we should ensure that today's men and women in uniform receive adequate pay and full health care coverage, including access to TRICARE.
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At the beginning of this Congress, I introduced S. 445, the Active Duty Military Relief Act of 2007 which provides needed tax relief to those serving our country and their families. Many of the provisions of this bill were enacted as part of the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (P.L 110-245). This Act provides a tax credit to small businesses to assist with the cost of paying the salary of their reservist employees when they are called to active duty and includes provisions that make it easier for employers who would like to pay their employees supplemental income, above their military pay, and make pension contributions. In addition, this Act make permanent the existing provision which allows taxpayers to include combat pay as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit (EITC). Without this provision, some military families would no longer be eligible to receive the EITC because combat pay is currently not taxable. It provides tax relief for the death gratuity payment that is given to families that have lost a loved one in combat. This payment is currently $100,000. Our current tax laws do not allow the recipients of this payment to use it to make contributions to tax-preferred saving accounts that help with saving for retirement.
I have fought to protect the military family at home as well. This year I offered an amendment to the Housing and Economic Recovery Act that amended the Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by extending the period a lender must wait before starting disclosure procedures from 90 days to nine months after a service member has returned from active duty and capping interest on mortgages at 6 percent for one year after a serviceperson completes his/her services.
I have fought to protect the military family at home as well. This year I offered an amendment to the Housing and Economic Recovery Act that amended the Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by extending the period a lender must wait before starting disclosure procedures from 90 days to nine months after a service member has returned from active duty and capping interest on mortgages at 6 percent for one year after a serviceperson completes his/her services.
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