Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) yesterday announced his support for the Combat Zone Tax Credit for Federal Employees Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) to extend federal employees serving in combat zones the same tax credit already available to members of the armed forces.
“Federal civilian employees are risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and should be given the same compensation as their colleagues in the armed forces,” Hoyer said. “Every American serving in harms way deserves our consistent, unwavering support.”
Currently, members of the military and federal contractors serving in combat zones are eligible for an income tax exemption, up to a certain limit, on their base pay. However, federal civilian employees, many of whom are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today, are not eligible for any tax exemptions for their service. Nonetheless, the families of federal employees face the same hardships as military families whose loved ones are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Throughout my career, I have consistently fought for pay parity between civilian and military personnel,” Hoyer said. “Rep. Wolf’s legislation would be another victory for hardworking federal employees and establish a fair system for compensating those Americans who put their lives in danger to preserve our freedom.”