Re: Peace Tax Fund

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Kemp, Theresa D. (TKEMP@uwec.edu)
Wed, 29 Jun 2005 10:30:10 -0500



Subject: FW: Peace Tax Fund
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 10:30:10 -0500
Message-ID: <376546015E56D640AB10F112B8127DDF021EA159@PEPSI.uwec.edu>
From: "Kemp, Theresa D." <TKEMP@uwec.edu>

Hi all, I received this email about HR 2631 on a women's studies list serve from Alabama. Tammy Baldwin is one of the co-sponsors. Does anyone know more about this?

theresa

-----Original Message-----

Yesterday I received an email from Democracy in Action with an update on the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act. Originally I thought it was a post to this listserv, but it wasn't; so, I'm passing along some information... and hoping that those of you in the US have Representatives you can invite to sign on as co-sponsors to this bill.

On May 25, 2005, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) introduced the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act [H.R. 2631] into the House. The full name (and synopsis)of the bill is: To affirm the religious freedom of taxpayers who are conscientiously opposed to participation in war, to provide that the income, estate, or gift tax payments of such taxpayers be used for nonmilitary purposes, to create the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund to receive such tax payments, to improve revenue collection, and for other purposes.

Currently, the bill has 35 co-sponsors and has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Basically, this bill creates the ability for US taxpayers to declare themselves as conscientious objectors with regard to federal taxes and designate that your tax money cannot be used--in part or in whole--for any military purposes. Instead, your tax monies will be deposited to the Peace Tax Fund, which is managed by the Treasury, and then
"allocated annually to any appropriation not for a military purpose."
["Military purposes" includes not only war and the armed forces, but also the National Security Council, foreign military aid, and other agencies & activities.]

For the text of the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act [Sec. 2: Findings, is worth reading!] and the current status of this bill, go to the THOMAS - Library of Congress website, http://thomas.loc.gov, and search for "Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act" or HR 2631. Please review the list of current co-sponsors. If your Representative is not a co-sponsor, please write to her/him and ask that s/he co-sponsor this bill. If you Rep. is already a co-sponsor, please send her/him a thank you note and express your gratitude for her/his support of this meaningful piece of legislation.

Guy

PS The New York City Council is currently considering Resolution 367, a resolution in support of the Peace Tax Fund. It is the first [proposed] city council resolution in support of the Peace Tax Fund Act. If you live in NYC, please let your Councilperson know of your support for the Peace Tax Fund and encourage her/him to vote affirmatively for Res. 367.

I'm through accepting limits
'Cuz someone says they're so Some things I cannot change But till I try, I'll never know
     --Elphaba in "Defying Gravity" from WICKED
------------------------ G. Guy Pujol, Jr. 63 Sycamore Station Decatur, GA 30030 404-371-9213 guypujol@mindspring.com

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End of BPFNA Digest, Vol 4, Issue 53
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