Well, this Legislation has been tried before and died. Just last year. However, hope springs eternal, and ACA, AARO and FAWCO are encouraging Congress to try again.
Now that Overseas American Week in DC is finished, it is time for some follow up action by us. With the issues of Americans abroad fresh in the minds of Congressman, and with a Residency Based Taxation (RBT) proposal on the table, now is the time to lend some support to Representative Carolyn Maloney’s latest bill.
There is an easy way, via Pop Vox, . Yu can vote it up or down and at the same time automatically send messages to each of your representatives at with whatever additional message you wish to convey. Hint (FATCA and the RBT)
You can also spread it around via Twitter or Facebook.
Psst… Pass it on!
@IRSCompliantForever,
You’re kind of going around every question I asked… I don’t have a clear picture here…
You’ve giving negative comments from popvox on HR597, but you failed to list the other side of it, many of those people who support it don’t live outside the US yet. However, I am really not interested in going rounds with you on this point, we would like to further our ability to communicate with congress and hope you would cooperate. I am just as mad about the tax system as you seem to be, and arguing mute points are not going to benefit anyone.
For your reference, general exit tax requirements are here: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/leaving-jet-plane-first-expatriate-have-you-paid-your-us-exit-tax
Let me repeat the questions I have… I would seriously like answers to these if you don’t mind. 🙂
1. What exactly is Republican Abroad’s mission if lobbying and formally asking congressmen to support something is not what you do?
2. How does Congress think that this (HR 597) is an issue for the Consular offices in the Embassies when those offices are not tasked to deal with any of the issues that are listed under HR 597, could you kindly explain? I would very much like to know who you spoke with in each of those offices, so that I can follow up with those individuals to try to understand where their thinking is coming from on this one. Email them to me please.
Concerning S 887, again can we find out why no other Republican in the Senate has Co-sponsored this bill? Also could you elaborate on what you mean by, “hopefully overseas Americans will support S. 887? Do you expect Senators to get on board only if constituents write and, why wouldn’t Republican Senators just get on board now if they are concerned about FATCA? You note by yourself in your email how destructive FATCA is, shouldn’t you and the Republicans Abroad be pushing for this and not expecting individuals to do the heavy lifting on this?
Thank you.
@Taxconfuzaled, sorry for my being unfocused in my comments but here is my short, most likely still unhelpful, response to your questions:
I am only an accidental Republican by birth (although I did vote for Reagan) and your questions are really directed to Republicans Abroad. I just don’t have answers as to why no Republican signed off on 597, when Senators will get on board, what RA means by …, why RA is not doing more etc. and it is RA that should answer all of your reasonable questions as a follow-up to their response to you.
The “mission” of RA, at least in part, is stated publicly. Depending on the RA chapter (Canada, UK, Thailand per google) the mission is at least to “communicate concerns” to and provide a “link” with elected officials. It might help, at the beginning of your email, to remind RA of its mission. RA really should be there at a minimum to help forge a link between you and people who can help and through these links answer all of your questions. Shame them in a nice way into doing so. Perhaps something positive will come out of the communications–awareness? support?
Other longer comments that I also know will not help–sorry:
-Notwithstanding some emails of support for 597, I still do not feel that 597 will sell in Peoria at a time of budget cuts. However, I might not go quite as far as @a (above) who feels that nothing “short of duals self-immolating in front of consulates by the dozens” will work. My response to you was only to consider a positive money angle, as your email is directed to Republicans.
-We all have different approaches. You are focused on 597 and FATCA, but hypothetically, let’s say that you contacted RA and were then able to convince a few Republicans in Congress to have a significantly more open mind on a topic of importance to US persons abroad—but only on a single topic.
Would your topic be 597, or preventing FATCA, or further awareness of and support for the RBT proposal sitting with the House W&M Committee?
With the gathered knowledge here, the ones that came up with the Stepford Wives for Dems abroad will be able to come up with something to describe Reps Abroad. It is a Story Waiting to Happen. The Reps Abroad ought to be an ally, but it sure is a lot more fun to make fun of your friends than it is to make fun of your enemies. And Reps Abroad has made themselves an easy target.
@Mark Twain,
Stepford Wives kidding aside, @Taxconfuzaled is correct:: Really, how could Reps Abroad not help “support” a proposal to decrease the most significant harm caused to US persons (including Republicans) abroad?
Prompted by his/her email, I just sent a request to Reps Abroad Canada asking for help etc. in supporting the RBT proposal in the House W&M Committee (I am less interested in 597).
You might find it interesting that the website indicates that the Chair of Reps Abroad Canada happens to be a cross-border tax attorney.
@IRSCompliantForever Thank you for your further comments about this adn making suggestions on any further letters to RA. In addition thanks for sending a message to the RA Canada office. If you can, please share the results of their reply. I think HR 597 probably doesn’t have a chance as has been mentioned by many, but RA should be suppotive on these issues.
As to your final question abot hte Ways and Means, I am not sure I follow what you are asking..
Is there any chance you could email me the list of names your spoke to in those offices about FATCA and HR597?
In addition the Consular offices in the Embassies don’t really deal with any big issues concerning Americans Abroad.
Checked in to see if anything had changed with this bill, [(first introduced in 2012 as H.R. 6263 (112th): Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act Introduced Aug 01, 2012 (112th Congress, 2011–2013)]:
H.R. 597: Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act. “To establish a commission to study how Federal laws and policies affect United States citizens living in foreign countries.”
“Library of Congress Summary”
“The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
2/8/2013–Introduced.
Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act – Establishes the Commission on Americans Living Abroad which shall conduct a study of how federal laws and policies affect U.S. citizens living abroad, including civilians and members of the Armed Forces.
Terminates the Commission upon submission of a final report to Congress.”
Sponsored by Democrat (NY) Carolyn Maloney, and has 16 co-sponsors, all Democrats, NO REPUBLICANS.
“Status:
This bill was assigned to a congressional committee on February 8, 2013, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole.”
Still shows a prediction of zero chance of passing.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr597
Lets see whether Americans Overseas Week for 2014 provides us with any updates.
Soon to be two years on though since this bill requesting a commission just to LOOK in to the issues faced by US citizens abroad, it appears that the US still has no interest in those abroad as CITIZENS – except for imposing extraterritorial taxation, BSA FBAR and other intrusive financial reporting, and FATCA.
The Republicans have not supported this bill or co-sponsored it, the Democrats as a party have not, Obama is mum on it and indeed, mum on anything to do with US citizens abroad – despite his specific 2008 election platform promises to listen to the concerns of those abroad, and instead, the push is to invade our countries of residence and other citizenship – via the predations of FATCA.
Revisit the Obama and the Democrats promises:
From: http://obama.3cdn.net/610c7f29ee85b124a3_3cm6bxltu.pdf.
‘BARACK OBAMA: SUPPORTING AMERICANS LIVING OVERSEAS’
“Obama understands the special concerns and issues of Americans living abroad and
will seek to address these as president”…..
…”Our government must work to ensure that overseas Americans have every chance to compete
on a level playing field, and he will work with Americans abroad to identify and understand problems they may face as a result of U.S. government policies.”..
…….”Concerns of Americans Living Abroad: Obama believes it is important to understand the role of Americans abroad in determining U.S. policy. Obama will work with members of the Americans abroad community and the U.S. embassies to determine how the U.S. government can be responsive to the concerns of overseas Americans. As a U.S. Senator, Obama has taken seriously the concerns of all Illinoisans, whether they are currently in Illinois or not. As president, Obama will work to establish a direct dialogue with Americans abroad.
…………He welcomes a continued dialogue between the White House, the State Department, and citizens abroad in an Obama administration.”…..
Nope, still not keeping any of those explicit promises he made to those the US aggressively asserts an ownership claim over, but provides no service, benefits, or even a voice or meaningful representation to.
@Badger…
and check out Rand Pauls Repeal bill in the Senate. S887, if I remember correctly…
Where is ONE sponsor for Rand Paul’s Senate bill? Where? Where? Where? NOT ONE FRIGGIN Republican in the Senate has the balls to sign on!, NONE, NADA, Zilch!
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/887
So what does that tell you about their Repeal effort?
The former US Ambassador to Switzerland, Donald Beyer, is running for a House seat from northern Virginia. He knows the plight of USCs abroad and it could be beneficial to have him in Congress:
http://genevalunch.com/2014/03/04/former-us-ambassador-beyer-runs-congress/
http://mclean.patch.com/groups/elections/p/don-beyer-wins-straw-poll-among-dems-running-in-8th-district-primary