Tester Introduces Bill to Eliminate Trump’s Tax on Gold Star Families

Bipartisan legislation would eliminate Trump’s tax on VA benefits for surviving children and spouses of deceased service members

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester is defending Gold Star children and families against President Trump’s disastrous tax policies by sponsoring legislation to eliminate the tax burden placed on military survivor benefits by the so-called Tax Cut and Jobs Act.

“Gold Star families have endured the unimaginable on behalf of our nation,” Tester said. “In return for the life of a loved one, our country provides the grieving families of military heroes with some basic financial support. It can’t replace a fraction of what they’ve lost, but it’s a small token of appreciation from a thankful nation. Now, thanks to Trump’s disastrous tax bill, these Gold Star children and spouses are having these basic benefits slashed-a particularly unacceptable consequence of this giveaway to corporations and the wealthy.”

The Military Kiddie’s Tax Elimination Bill would amend a provision in Trump’s disastrous 2017 tax bill that substantially increased taxes on children receiving survivor benefits because they lost a parent in the line of duty. The legislation would retroactively reverse the increase for Fiscal Year 2018 and permanently fix the malicious provision inserted in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act moving forward.

The Military Kiddie’s Tax Elimination Bill is part of a larger push by Tester to protect military families’ benefits. He also sponsored the Military Widow’s Tax Elimination Act, which is an effort to help the more than 65,000 military widows and widowers nationwide who are not receiving the full survivor benefits they are due. In Montana, there are about 3,500 military survivors affected by the “widow’s tax” and about 200 affected by the “children’s tax.”

Tester was the only member of Montana’s congressional delegation who voted against Trump’s partisan tax giveaway, which added more than $2 trillion to the national debt.

The Military Kiddie’s Tax Elimination Bill is available HERE.