Christopher A. Coons

Mr. President, Procedure · 11 wordsI wonder if you have heard the story of Jason Rezaian.Procedure Claims · 243 wordsJason was a Washington Post reporter--an Iranian American--who was stationed in Tehran and reporting for the Washington Post on the goings-on of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2014, he was arrested by the secret police and disappeared.¹ Months later, it was revealed that he was a political prisoner being held at a notorious prison inside Iran. Jason was ultimately detained for 544 days before he was released, ²which he has recounted in his harrowing tale, ``Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison.’’ When Jason returned to the United States at last, having been freed, returned to his family, what was the first thing he got from the U.S. Government? A tax bill, a tax bill for $20,000 for late filing and late payment.³ Mr. Rezaian is a resourceful guy. He went to the IRS, and he said: Hey, how can you charge me for late payment, penalties, and fees? I was in prison in Iran. They said: Well, how are we supposed to know that? It was on the front page of the Washington Post. They said: Well, we can’t just forgive fees and fines for anybody who comes and talks to us. They went through months and months of arguing back and forth, and he managed to get most of the fines and fees reduced but not all. And so after I met with him, now years ago, I drafted and introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.⁴ Procedure · 9 wordsI bet you can guess what this bill does.Procedure Claims · 15 wordsThere is a corollary--a companion--in the House, the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, ⁵Thanks · 17 wordsand I am grateful to Congresswomen Titus and Tenney of Nevada and New York for their cosponsorship.Thanks Claims · 6 wordsIt has passed the House unanimously.⁶ Procedure · 28 wordsTonight, Senator Rounds and I have an opportunity to ask for unanimous consent that we pass this legislation in the Senate and send it to President Trump’s desk.⁷Procedure Claims · 41 wordsIncredibly, when we asked for the score on this bill, it is positive because the IRS insists on litigating these cases, and they almost always lose them. They waste staff time and money suing people who were hostages or prisoners overseas. Positioning · 14 wordsThis is simple; it is common sense; it is bipartisan; and it is compassionate.Positioning Thanks · 44 wordsI want to thank Senators Crapo and Wyden for allowing Senator Rounds and me to pull this bill out of their larger tax package and pass it by unanimous consent tonight. And I want to thank Senator Mike Rounds for being an early adopter.Thanks Anecdote · 19 wordsWhen I explained what happened to Jason Rezaian, he said: We should pass that and pass it right away.Anecdote Claims · 24 wordsWell, for better or worse, it has taken years, but here we are tonight on the verge of sending it to the President’s desk. Thanks · 31 wordsI cannot say how grateful I am for the chance to get this simple, clear, commonsense bill passed to help Americans who might tragically be held hostage or imprisoned wrongfully overseas.Thanks Mr. President, Procedure · 35 wordsas if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 9496 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.Procedure