WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst introduced the Stop Questionable, Unnecessary, and Excessive Allowances for Legislators Act, also known as the SQUEAL Act, to cut perks for elected officials and make Washington squeal. This legislation would eliminate a provision of the tax code that allows Members of Congress to deduct, for income tax purposes, up to $3,000 annually in living expenses while in the Washington, D.C. area.
“Iowans sent me to Congress to make Washington, D.C. squeal and that includes eliminating handouts to politicians,” said Senator Ernst. “To achieve the ultimate goal of lowering tax rates for hardworking families and businesses, Congress is going to have to eliminate various loopholes and deductions in our outdated tax code. Congress should lead by example and offer up its own unnecessary tax break.”
About the SQUEAL Act:
- The Code of Federal Regulations defines living-expenses as meals, lodging, and other incidental expenses. Under our current tax code, taxpayers are allowed to claim business-expense deductions for unreimbursed travel expenses incurred while they are away from their principal place of business (“home”). For the purposes of this deduction, a Member of Congress’ “home” is the state or district they represent – not Washington, D.C. where they work.
- Due to this loophole, legislators are allowed to claim deductions for their living-expenses while working in Washington, D.C., even though they spend a significant amount of time working there.
- Senator Ernst’s SQUEAL Act eliminates the provision of the tax code that allows Members of Congress to deduct up to $3,000 in D.C.-based living expenses from their income taxes per year.
Since elected to Congress, Senator Ernst has worked to identify areas of reckless spending in the federal government, and looked for solutions to reduce our nation’s $20 trillion debt. Most recently, the Senator reintroduced the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of 2017 to cut the perks received by former presidents.
Read the full text of Senator Ernst’s SQUEAL Act here.
Please get to work on ending the diversity and chain immigration laws that are ruining America – That towel head who won the lottery and killed 8 people in new york was allowed by chain immigration to bring in 23 more family members – DACA 800,000 and they will be able to bring in 10 more each so it will be — 8 MILLION more not 800,000 which is crazy to begin with.
Can a brother get some term limits? Will be interesting to see if this makes it through and what it’s final form actually is. No politician, on either side of the aisle actually supports taking things away from themselves.
Drain the swamp Joni! Don’t get too close to trump though, it may end up biting you in the ass
Joni is doing such a wonderful job. With her military background and being new to the political arena she does make a perfect politician. And she’s so hot.
Hillery masks seem to be the hot item in America – Put on a bitch mask and take a knee.
You better have street legal quiet pipes on that hog Joni before you go calling out others for anomalies and illegalities. Nothing worse than a hypocritical Harley rider touting herself as “law abiding”.
NFL and ALL National leagues are going to lose their TAX exempt status because of the NFL disrespect for America – They will be paying billions of dollars that You and I have been T I F or subsidizing for them – will help out the little guy – now IF we did not have to pay for half the free loaders free health insurance maybe ours would go down BIGLEY !!
Joni is doing what she was elected to do. Great job.