“Let's vote on this bill. The bill stops the government from charging late fees to people who were held hostage. I want the bill to pass today.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It delays tax deadlines and pays back late fees for Americans held hostage or wrongfully kept in prison abroad.”

“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9496) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to postpone tax deadlines and reimburse paid late fees for United States nationals who are unlawfully or wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: ``Sec. 7511. Time for performing certain acts postponed for hostages The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rulli). Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.”

“I want this bill to pass. The bill stops the government from charging penalties and interest to Americans who were held hostage. Right now, they get penalized for not paying taxes while they were captured. That is stupid. Our committee supports the bill. I want this fixed now.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad should not face tax fines or interest for missing deadlines while in captivity. Current law does not let the IRS forgive these penalties, and that is unfair.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9496, the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, introduced by Representative Tenney. It seems impossible to imagine that any American who has been held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad and is safely returned home could then face a penalty from the IRS for failure to pay taxes while in captivity. Yet, under current law, those Americans and their families could owe thousands of dollars in tax penalties and fines. As of 2025, an estimated 74 Americans were being held abroad against their will. Right now, the IRS has no authority to provide extended relief to these taxpayers or to lessen or eliminate interest payments on tax liabilities. This is not just unfair, it is absurd. That is why this legislation received unanimous support in the Ways and Means Committee earlier this summer, and a previous version of Representative Tenney's bill was also approved by the House of Representatives last Congress. This gap in our tax code deserves to be closed once and for all. I appreciate Representative Tenney's continued leadership on this issue and her commitment to American families who have endured unspeakable hardship and tragedy. I reserve the balance of my time.”

“I want this bill to pass. I want the government to stop making hostages and their spouses pay late fees, interest, and penalties on their taxes. Right now, the tax office does not have power to waive penalties. The bill fixes that. It also lets the tax office give back money charged since 2021. This is a simple fix to help Americans who have suffered enough. My own constituent suffered in captivity. He is home now. This bill helps people like him. I want you to vote for it.”

“I want Congress to pass this bill. Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad should not face tax penalties for missing tax deadlines while in captivity.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. The objective of this bill is very straightforward. No American who has suffered wrongful detention or hostage-taking by our adversaries should return home to face penalties from the IRS. Under current tax law, individuals who have been held against their will can be subject to late tax payment penalties after returning home from captivity. This defies common sense and is antithetical to what we stand for as Americans. This is an overlooked flaw in our tax code that can only worsen the trauma of individuals and families who have already faced extraordinary challenges if this is not addressed by Congress. The End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act protects American hostages, wrongful detainees, and their families from tax penalties incurred because of circumstances beyond their control. This bill was precipitated because of cases like my constituent Ryan Corbett, a husband and father from Dansville, New York, who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban for 875 days. Ryan was held in a 9-foot-by-9- foot basement cell without regular access to the bathroom, sunlight, or appropriate medical care. Ryan was in dire health by the time he returned to his wife, Anna, and his 3 children, Ketsia, Miriam, and Caleb in January 2025. While Ryan and his family have not been subjected to tax penalties from the IRS, the fact that it was a possibility under the circumstances is unacceptable. While I am thankful that we are taking a pivotal step today to correct that injustice, we must continue to fight to secure the release of Americans being illegally held abroad as Ryan was. In closing, I ask my colleagues to support the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act to send a clear message that we stand by our fellow citizens who have endured unthinkable circumstances abroad.”

“I want to talk about this bill. People come back from being hostages. They should not get tax bills. That is mean. I am happy we are passing this bill again. I want everyone to vote yes. We should send it to the Senate. We should not punish people for being hostages. That is the right thing to do.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. The IRS should not punish Americans with tax penalties for missing deadlines while being held hostage abroad.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. When we welcome home Americans who have been held hostage abroad, they should receive a handshake or a warm hug, not a tax bill. 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. We 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. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.”