Pulaski Times

Rep. French Hill of Arkansas has introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at providing financial relief to Americans who have been wrongfully detained abroad. The bill, named the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, was introduced alongside Rep. Dina Titus from Nevada and is supported by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware in the Senate.

Rep. Hill emphasized the importance of this legislation, stating, "After returning home, American hostages and wrongful detainees should not have to face penalties for taxes missed while held abroad." He expressed pride in introducing a bipartisan effort to address what he described as a significant gap in current laws that penalize these individuals with fines from the IRS upon their return.

Rep. Titus also highlighted the necessity of this legislative measure: “It goes without saying that no one who has endured wrongful detention or been taken hostage abroad should face the additional trial of navigating onerous tax burdens they incurred through no fault of their own when they return.” She described the bill as "commonsense" and noted its bicameral and bipartisan nature.

The proposed legislation aims to ease financial burdens by postponing tax deadlines, refunding late penalties, and exempting forgiven debts from taxation for those affected. This initiative seeks to provide support not only to wrongful detainees and hostages but also to their families.