093_HR0224

 
                                     LRB093 11574 HSS 14837 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Millions of men and women in  the  Armed  Forces
 3    volunteer  to  serve  our country, take an oath to defend the
 4    Constitution of  the  United  States,  and  risk  making  the
 5    ultimate  sacrifice  to  defend the freedoms enjoyed by their
 6    fellow Americans; and

 7        WHEREAS, A large number of these soldiers live on  modest
 8    financial means; and

 9        WHEREAS,  In  2002, during the 107th Congress, the United
10    States Senate Finance Committee  and  then  the  full  Senate
11    passed  a  bill  co-authored  by  U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
12    (R-Iowa) to improve tax equity for members of  the  military;
13    and

14        WHEREAS,  The bill underwent changes in the U.S. House of
15    Representatives and never received approval  before  Congress
16    adjourned for the year; and

17        WHEREAS,  Congress  is  once again considering tax-equity
18    legislation, and versions of the Armed  Forces  Tax  Fairness
19    Act  of  2003  have  been approved by both the U.S. House and
20    U.S. Senate; and

21        WHEREAS, The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003  would
22    extend  deadlines  for  filing  tax  returns  or  making  tax
23    payments  for  individuals  who  become  involved in military
24    actions, operations, or hostilities against an enemy  of  the
25    United States; and

26        WHEREAS,  If  a member of the Armed Forces dies on active
27    duty, the federal government  pays  the  surviving  spouse  a
28    death  benefit of $6,000 but only half of this benefit is now
29    excluded from taxable income; and

30        WHEREAS, The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003  would
 
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 1    fully  exempt death gratuity payments received by families of
 2    deceased members of  the  military  from  being  included  in
 3    taxable income; and

 4        WHEREAS,  Many  National  Guard  members  and  reservists
 5    travel  for  weekend  drills  and  spend  their own money for
 6    travel and lodging; and

 7        WHEREAS, These expenses are generally non-deductible  for
 8    one  of  two  reasons: either the reservist is part of the 75
 9    percent of the population  that  does  not  itemize,  or  the
10    expenses  do  not  exceed  two  percent  of  the  reservist's
11    adjusted gross income; and

12        WHEREAS,  The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003 would
13    create a tax deduction of up to $500 for unreimbursed  travel
14    expenses by reservists; and

15        WHEREAS,  In  1997,  Congress  changed  the  tax  code to
16    exclude gains from the sale  of  a  person's  home  from  the
17    capital  gains tax, below certain thresholds, and thus, under
18    present law, in order to qualify for an exclusion of  capital
19    gains  on  a  home, uniformed service members must have owned
20    and used a home as a principal residence for at least two  of
21    five years ending on the date of sale; and

22        WHEREAS,  The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003 would
23    suspend this requirement; and

24        WHEREAS, The Armed Forces Tax Fairness  Act  of  2003  is
25    especially  important  as  the  nation  engages  in  military
26    conflict  abroad  involving  both  enlisted  members  of  the
27    military and reservists; therefore, be it

28        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
29    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
30    the   members   of  the  Illinois  House  of  Representatives
31    respectfully request that the members of  the  United  States
 
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 1    House  of  Representatives  and United States Senate work for
 2    consensus on the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of  2003;  and
 3    be it further

 4        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
 5    presented  to  each  member  of  the  Illinois  Congressional
 6    delegation,  the  Speaker  of  the  United  States  House  of
 7    Representatives, the Majority Leader  of  the  United  States
 8    Senate, and the President of the United States.