Published February 1991 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Special Help for Special Men and Women As the Persian Gulf war progresses, I think often of West Virginia's men and women serving there. Currently, more than 2,000 West Virginia Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Reservists and members of the West Virginia National Guard have been activated for service in "Operation Desert Storm." In addition, hundreds more West Virginians are serving in the Persian Gulf Theater as members of the regular Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. This is not surprising. A strong sense of patriotism is one element of West Virginia's character and our state's history. As in past wars, by overwhelming numbers, West Virginians give their unqualified support to the men and women serving in the Persian Gulf. But many lives have been disrupted by this crisis. In one small way, some relief is on the way. On January 24, a bill to provide tax relief for our troops in the Persian Gulf was unanimously passed by the Senate. H.R. 4, which I cosponsored, will permit our troops and their families to defer (1) filing tax returns; (2) paying estimated taxes; (3) filing a claim for tax credits or refunds; and (4) other actions associated with income tax requirements. These deferrals will be permitted during service or associated hospitalization, and for an additional 180 days. This bill, unanimously passed by the House of Representatives on January 15, makes the provisions of the President's Executive Order 12744, signed on January 21, retroactive to the date on which service began in the deployment area. (That Executive Order designated the Persian Gulf region a combat zone, thus activating certain current law provisions concerning tax deferrals for those in combat.) H.R. 4 also applies to those hospitalized inside the United States, up to five years from the date of return. H.R. 4 also requires the Internal Revenue Service to pay interest on income tax refunds issued more than forty-five days after April 15, 1991. Let this act be one measure of our appreciation for the job being done by our men and women in the Persian Gulf region. February 6, 1991