West Florida News

U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has spearheaded a bipartisan initiative with 78 House colleagues, urging the Senate to vote on his legislation, H.R. 5863 The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023. This act aims to provide tax relief to Americans impacted by Hurricane Debby and over 300 other disasters across 48 states.

“Since the Senate failed to pass the bipartisan tax package, which included my bill to deliver tax relief, Senate leadership must now permit my stand-alone disaster relief bill to pass swiftly through the Senate on unanimous consent,” said Rep. Steube. “My bill precedes the larger package and received resounding support across the aisle in the House (382-7). Americans can’t wait for disaster relief. Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina sustained major impacts from Hurricane Debby, further underscoring the need to pass this bill as soon as possible. Millions of Americans affected by more than 300 disasters in 48 states will be helped by this legislation. The Senate must finish the job.”

“This is a crusade I began fighting after my coastal Florida Gulf district was hit with Category 5 Hurricane Ian,” continued Rep. Steube. “Since then, I’ve built a coalition of Congressional members advocating for their own disaster-stricken districts.”

Rep. Steube's letter was co-signed by Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Christopher Deluzio (D-Pa.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif), Brian Fitzpatrick, Scott Franklin (R-Fla), Matt Gaetz(R-Fla), John Garamendi(D-Calif), Mike Garcia(R-Calif), Robert Garcia(D-Calif), Sylvia Garcia(D-Calif), Carlos Gimenez(R-Fla), Josh Gottheimer(D-N.J), Josh Harder(D-Calif), Clay Higgins(R-La), Sara Jacobs(D-Calif), Hank Johnson(D-Ga), Ro Khanna(D-Calif), Kevin Kiley(R-Calif) Doug LaMalfa(R-Calif) Barbara Lee(D Calif) Laurel Lee(R Fla) Morgan Luttrell(R Texas) Nancy Mace(R-S.C.) Jared Moskowitz(D Fla.) Kevin Mullin(D Calif.) Jerrold Nadler(D N.Y.) Joe Neguse D Colo Troy Nehls R Texas Jay Obernolte R Calif Jimmy Panetta D Calif Marie Perez D Wash Brittany Pettersen D Colo Katie Porter D Calif Bill Posey R Fla Maria Salazar R Fla Andrea Salinas D Ore Adam Schiff D Calif Hillary Scholten D Mich Terri Sewell D Ala Eric Sorensen D Ill Darren Soto D Fla Melanie Stansbury D N.M Greg Stanton D Ariz Tom Suozzi D N.Y Eric Swalwell D Calif Mark Takano D Calif Shri Thanedar D Mich Bennie Thompson D Miss Mike Thompson-D Calif Dina Titus-D Nev Jill Tokuda-D Hawaii Juan Vargas-D Calf Gabe Vasquez-D N.M Waltz-R Fla Waters-D Calif

The letter highlights that many Americans have incurred significant disaster-related expenses or face unfair tax burdens due to wildfires and other calamities. It emphasizes that "The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 is a comprehensive bill that includes coverage for over 300 disasters across 47 states as well as addressing both wildfire payments and the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment."

Rep. Steube's historic discharge petition led to a successful House vote on May 21, 2024, where it passed with overwhelming support at 382-7.

Rep. Steube initially introduced legislation in March 2023 to treat Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster area for tax purposes. His broader bill expanded this relief to cover all federally declared disasters since 2022.

H.R. 5863 passed unanimously through the Ways and Means Committee on November 2, 2023, and twice through the U.S. House: first as part of The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act on January 31, 2024; and again following his discharge petition.