Thursday, June 16, 2011

Chambliss, Isakson Cosponsor Relief Legislation for Declared Disaster Areas

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., cosponsored legislation that would provide aid to Southeastern states ravaged by extreme weather in the past few months. The Southeastern Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2011 would provide tax relief to families, businesses and local governments as they try to rebuild in declared disaster areas. 

The legislation was introduced yesterday by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. In addition to Chambliss and Isakson, other original cosponsors are: Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.; Mark Pryor, D-Ark.; John Boozman, R-Ark.; Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; Kay Hagan, D-N.C.; and James Inhofe, R-Okla.

The states eligible for assistance include: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

The legislation would extend to these Southeastern states the same temporary tax provisions that were enacted as part of previous natural disaster response bills that enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support. This includes the Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act following tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest in 2009, and relief bills that were passed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The bill is fully offset by rescinding unobligated federal spending, and it will not increase the federal debt.