Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Jason Smith

Republican on End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act 2026-09-15

127 words · 6 sentences · 7 clauses

Statement grade

A–

Average 86 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 15%Reasoning 50%Thanks 27%The ask 8%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 10 wordsI yield myself the balance of my time to close.Procedure Reasoning · 24 wordsWhen we welcome home Americans who have been held hostage abroad, they should receive a handshake or a warm hug, not a tax bill. Thanks · 34 wordsI appreciate Representatives Tenney bringing this bill back to the Ways and Means Committee this Congress so that we can once again pass it here in the House and send it to the Senate.¹Thanks Reasoning · 40 wordsWe should not punish Americans for being held hostage. Preventing the IRS from penalizing our fellow citizens and their families who have suffered at the hands of hostage-takers or hostile foreign governments is the right and decent thing to do. The ask · 10 wordsI encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, Procedure · 9 wordsand I yield back the balance of my time.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 58

3 of 3 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself the balance of my time to close.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I appreciate Representatives Tenney bringing this bill back to the Ways and Means Committee this Congress so that we can once again pass it here in the House and send it to the Senate.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and I yield back the balance of my time.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 3 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Nothing lost points.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 100

0 of 3 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 1

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“Representatives Tenney bringing this bill back to the Ways and Means Committee this Congress”Representative Tenney reintroduced the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act to the Ways and Means Committee in the current Congress.search

Analyzed on 2026-10-17