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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