Rep. Kelly Co-Sponsors Bill to Protect Military Retiree Benefits

Legislation would adjust Bipartisan Budget Act, fight fraud, save taxpayer dollars

WASHINGTON — Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the introduction of legislation by Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)  to repeal the adjustments to military retirement benefits included in the recently passed Bipartisan Budget Act and offset the cost with a measure aimed at stopping rampant tax credit fraud. The measure would institute a requirement that taxpayers must provide the Social Security Numbers of dependents whom they claim for the Child Tax Credit. Rep. Kelly is an original co-sponsor of this legislation.

“As both a citizen and an elected representative, I revere and cherish every single American who heroically volunteers to serve our nation in uniform. I believe our veterans deserve every single penny they earned for serving our great country — and I will always have their back in every policy debate, every time. Even when crafting practical yet imperfect fiscal solutions such as the recent budget deal, our commitment to our military members must never waiver.

“As I said at the time of its initial passage, the Bipartisan Budget Act is small first step to moving the federal government in a fiscally responsible direction. Many other steps, including greater adjustments and improvements to the law, will be necessary. Having heard the concerns and frustrations of my constituents over the law’s provision regarding military retiree benefits, I am proud to co-sponsor legislation that locates savings which do not affect our fighting men and women in any capacity.

“Curbing federal tax fraud is an indispensable element of serious debt and deficit reduction. By enacting commonsense anti-fraud measures into the tax code, we are ensuring that the American people’s money is spent as legitimately as possible, saving billions in taxpayer dollars, and keeping our sacred promises to those who defend us.

NOTE: According to a report by the Joint Committee on Taxation, the bill’s anti-fraud measure regarding the child tax credit would save American taxpayers $7 billion over a decade. The Treasury Department’s Investigator General has already found $4.2 billion in fraudulent payments over the course of just one year.

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