Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi: 'How Do We Tell Our Men and Women in Uniform That Their Children are Not Worthy of a Tax Cut?'

June 4, 2003

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke last night on the House floor in support of extending the child tax credit to the millions of working families left out of the Republican tax bill. Below are excerpts from her remarks in which she condemns the Republican tax bill, which excludes many of the men and women in our armed forces from receiving the child tax credit:

"Earlier this year, before the hostilities began in March, I had the occasion and privilege to visit our men and women in uniform in Kuwait, in Qatar and in Turkey. I saw firsthand their courage, their patriotism, and the sacrifice they were willing to make for our country. How do we tell them, many of whom have left their jobs but do not make enough money to qualify for the tax credit, that their children are not worthy of a tax cut, when they are risking their lives for our country?

"Republicans enacted a $350 billion tax bill, and growing, and yet they could not find room to make sure that our men and women in the military are able to take full advantage of the child tax credit.

"Other Members have traveled there since the war has ended, and they have told me of meeting some in the military, women, who have children 2 and 4 years old whom they had left at home because they were called to duty. They answered the call and now we are saying to them, 'Sorry, your combat pay does not enable you to get the tax credit for your children.