WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today with the help from the 60 Plus Association, H.R. 2429, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013, reached 200 bipartisan cosponsors including support from nearly every Republican member of the House Committee on Ways and Means:

Jim Martin, Chairman of the 60 Plus Association said, “As we approach a majority of support from the House of Representatives, we plan to continue spearheading the push to repeal the ‘temporary’ death tax.  For nearly 100 years the death tax has punished America’s seniors.  The death tax was instituted in 1916 to pay for World War I, and the death tax is its last survivor.  For years a majority of Americans have wanted to see this tax come to end and now we are nearing a majority of Congress.

“Our 7 million seniors nationwide will continue to contact their elected officials to demand that this tax be buried permanently.  The last time the House of Representatives voted to repeal this tax was 2005; nine years is far too long to go without voting to see which members stand with seniors and family businesses.”

Rep. Kevin Brady introduced the Death Tax Repeal Act in June 2013 with a companion bill introduced in the Senate by Senator John Thune. This bill permanently repeals the federal estate tax to protect family businesses and farms.

A study by Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office, showed permanent repeal of the death tax could create nearly one million new jobs.  In addition, a study by Dr. Steve Entin showed repealing the tax would protect 65,000 family businesses and would increase GDP by $119 billion.

The Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013 currently sits in the tax writing House Ways and Means Committee, awaiting action.  Please contact your congressman via the House switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or visit www.house.gov and tell them to support H.R. 2429 today.  The companion bill in the U.S. Senate currently has 37 cosponsors

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