Gillibrand Votes for Pay Raise and Tax Cut for Troops

Press Release

Gillibrand Votes for Pay Raise and Tax Cut for Troops

Today, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand voted for HR 3997, The "Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act (HEART)," and H.Con.Res 162 to urge the President to lift his objection to the pay raise included in the Defense Authorization bill.

"Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deserve more than just the cost-of-living adjustment proposed by the President. They deserve a raise. While the 3.5% increase that we were able to add to the Defense Authorization this year is a good start, there is more we must do," said Congresswoman Gillibrand. "That is why I am pleased to vote on both of these today to give our troops something they really need when they arrive home - higher pay for the outstanding work they've done."

The Resolution, H. Con. Res 162, sponsored by Iraq war veteran, Rep. Patrick Murphy, expresses the sense of Congress that the President should increase basic pay for members of the Armed Services.

The HEART Act makes tax relief for families of soldiers in combat under the EITC permanent, including extending the provision to consider combat pay as earned income for purposes of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The bill will also make permanent other tax provisions to relieve economic hardships for military families, like permitting active duty reservists to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans and permitting recipients of military death benefit gratuities to roll over the amounts received, tax-free, to a Roth IRA or an Education Savings Account.

The bill will also make it easier for thousands of veterans to own homes by making them eligible for low-interest loans. It also includes tax benefits for other public servants who face risk, such as volunteer firefighters and Peace Corps volunteers.

"The military families in my district have sacrificed more than most of us can imagine - from mothers and fathers having to run a household by themselves through their spouse's successive long deployments; to parents and grandparents that hold their breath while they watch the news every night; to returning soldiers that have to piece together their lives upon their return from a war zone," said Congresswoman Gillibrand. "These bills will especially help those soldiers at the lowest end of the pay grade whose families are simply struggling to get by and deserve the financial support that taxpayers can provide them."

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