Dear Colleague:

We are writing to let you know of our intention to continue our bipartisan effort to repeal the death tax in the 107th Congress. As a cosponsor of the Death Tax Elimination Act (H.R. 8), which we introduced in the 106th Congress, you no doubt have a deep understanding of this devastating tax. Death tax repeal enjoys widespread support in the House of Representatives, the Senate, the new Administration, and throughout the nation. In the 106th Congress, 279 members of the House supported H.R. 8.

The death tax is a hardship on family businesses. Overwhelming evidence shows that the death tax consumes valuable resources through attorney fees and insurance premiums, reduces the ability of a family business to grow, and causes the liquidation and sale of many otherwise healthy businesses. It can devastate the legacy that an individual builds for his or her family and erase strong, community influences.

For these reasons, death tax elimination is a top priority for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the 60 Plus Association, many environmental groups, and dozens more family business associations.

In order to be successful in the new Congress, however, we need your support for death tax repeal. We will be re-introducing the Death Tax Elimination Act during the week of January 29th.