As over 2 million acres burn across Oregon, Republican senator blocks Wyden legislation to deliver immediate tax relief to Oregonians who lose their homes in wildfires
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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sought passage today on the Senate floor of his bill that would deliver immediate tax relief to every American who loses their home from a natural disaster, including Oregonians who lose their homes in wildfires.
“When you lose your home in a wildfire, the last thing you should be worried about is being hit by a massive tax bill,” Wyden said in his floor remarks. “The bipartisan disaster relief bill being considered on the floor today would give the people of my state affected by these blazes some peace of mind.”
The legislation would end unfair taxes on natural disaster settlement payments after Americans lose their homes through unpredictable natural disasters. These burdensome taxes were passed into law under the Trump-Republican tax bill in 2017. Subsequently, the Senate successfully suspended the tax in 2024, but is up for renewal this year.
The bill has already passed the House on a bipartisan basis and awaits Senate action. Wyden urged immediate passage today of the bipartisan bill to deliver financial relief now to wildfire victims in Oregon and the West, but the legislation was blocked by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) using a procedural tactic.
“I’m heading home this weekend to meet with Oregonians fearing in real time for their lives and livelihoods because of wildfires threatening communities and spreading smoke statewide,” Wyden said. “And my message will be I’ll never stop battling to pass this bill that will ease their concerns about getting walloped with a tax bill when they may already be dealing with the loss of their homes.”
A web version of this release is here.
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