(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day:
“This Veterans Day, I would like to thank each and every veteran in South Florida and across our nation for serving with bravery, selflessness, and distinction. Let us honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation and values.
“Today and everyday, it is important to not only salute our Veterans, but also fight for them as fiercely as they fight for us. This is why I recently introduced H.R. 8690 the Armed Forces Tax Deferred Relief Act to protect our servicemembers’ pay. As a result of President Trump’s reckless Social Security Tax deferral, servicemembers would be forced to pay double their Social Security tax withholding in the first four months of 2021.
“The State of Florida has the third highest veteran population in the nation. I proudly represent more than 25,000 veterans in Florida’s 20th Congressional District. We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude. This is why I will always be a vocal advocate for the needs of the veteran community. To the veterans in my district and across our nation, happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service.”
Hastings introduced H.R. 8690 the Armed Forces Deferred Tax Relief Act on October 27, 2020 to protect servicemembers’ paychecks from President Trump’s politically motivated Social Security tax deferral, as detailed in the Presidential Memorandum he issued on August 8, 2020. The bill directs the Secretary of Defense to compensate members of the Armed Forces for certain taxes deferred pursuant to Internal Revenue Service Notice 2020-65. If such deferred taxes are withheld by the Secretary of Defense during the period beginning on January 1, 2021 and end by April 30, 2021, the Secretary shall make a payment to such a member in an amount equal to the deferred tax withheld.
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Dean and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.
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