WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (Idaho-01) issued the following statement after the National Police Association endorsed the Keep Every Extra Penny (KEEP) Act, H.R. 405.
“I’m proud to have the support of the National Police Association for my bill, the KEEP Act, which would eliminate the federal income tax on overtime pay. This legislation will help ensure our dedicated law enforcement officers—who go above and beyond to serve and keep our communities safe—take home more of their hard-earned paycheck,” Congressman Fulcher said.
Specifically, H.R. 405 would cut income taxes rather than payroll taxes to ensure that Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment funding remain unaffected.
“Police officers are tireless public servants who already make personal sacrifices to protect and serve. They shouldn’t be penalized financially for working overtime in service to their communities,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director for the National Police Association. “Allowing officers to keep all of their overtime pay would help morale, aid in recruitment efforts, and incentivize veteran officers to stay on the job longer,” Fitzsimmons added.
The National Police Association's public release read, “Due to an ongoing police shortage that an ideological war on law enforcement has propelled, officers are being called upon to work mandatory overtime hours to fill staffing gaps. Grueling work schedules can leave these men and women with little time to decompress, spend time with loved ones, and tend to personal matters. The result is lowered officer morale and an increase in instances of burnout. Some officers even leave the profession or retire early after concluding that the job is not worth the toll it has taken on them and their families. Law enforcement officers should be recognized for their sacrifices and provided with incentives to remain on the job."
The KEEP Act was originally introduced in the 118th Congress by Congressman Fulcher and quickly picked up steam after then-President-Elect Donald J. Trump announced support of the policy objective. The bill was reintroduced in the 119th Congress and was most recently included in the House’s reconciliation package, H.R. 1, now with the Senate.
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