Who’s on the side of people in the military and their families?
A bill drafted to provide tax relief for military personnel was scrapped today because the Republicans loaded it up with tax breaks and subsidies for various companies and trade associations. From the Washington Post:
The bill was originally designed to give several tax breaks to members of the armed services, including reservists called to duty. House Democrats cried foul last week when several committee Republicans inserted other tax provisions that would benefit a few U.S. companies and trade associations.
About two weeks ago, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) told Republican and Democratic members they could use the $482 million tax bill as a vehicle to add other tax provisions that had failed in previous efforts. Several Republicans responded with targeted items, including a repeal of the excise tax on fishing tackle boxes, a simplification of the excise tax on bows and arrows, and elimination of taxes imposed on foreigners who bet on U.S. horse races.
To their credit, it was the Republican House leadership who doomed the bill because they were becoming uncomfortable with the riders.
