Diaz-Balart Gets Florida Included in Katrina Tax Relief Bill

Diaz-Balart Gets Florida Included in Katrina Tax Relief Bill

WASHINGTON—Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Mark Foley (FL-16) and Clay Shaw (FL-22) today successfully expanded the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (H.R. 3768) to include areas in Florida damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

"While the damage in Florida in no way compares to the devastation and life-and-death struggles of the hundreds of thousands who have fled or been evacuated from the Gulf region, Hurricane Katrina still dealt a severe blow to the district I represent," Diaz-Balart said. "A destroyed home is a destroyed home no matter where it is."

The damage suffered by Floridians as a result of Hurricane Katrina has been widely reported, with estimates of damage to over 350 homes and crop losses of around $492 million. Florida emergency management officials have stated that nearly 11,000 residents of Florida are seeking relief as a result of Hurricane Katrina, with roughly 58 percent of those making less than $20,000 annually.

"[Ways & Means Committee] Chairman Bill Thomas, Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Congressmen Mark Foley and Clay Shaw were very helpful to me in making sure Florida did not get left out in the cold," Diaz-Balart added. "As this nation recovers and rebuilds from this horrific storm, the disaster areas in Florida will recover and rebuild, too."

H.R. 3768 is a comprehensive tax relief package that protects victims of Katrina from a variety of tax liabilities:

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http://www.house.gov/mariodiaz-balart/news/2005news/091505_katrinataxrelief.htm