releases: https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/remarks-senator-coons-celebrates-unanimous-passage-of-his-end-tax-penalties-on-american-hostages-act/
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/remarks-senator-coons-celebrates-unanimous-passage-of-his-end-tax-penalties-on-american-hostages-act/ | REMARKS: Senator Coons celebrates unanimous passage of his End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act | 2026-09-30 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | Senate | DE | Christopher A. Coons | C001088 | www.coons.senate.gov | coons | https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ | scraper | WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) spoke on the Senate floor tonight ahead of the Senate’s passage by unanimous consent of his bipartisan legislation to protect Americans who are held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad from facing fines and penalties for failing to pay taxes while in captivity. “It’s ridiculous that one of the first things an American hostage or wrongful detainee receives from the government when they return home from captivity is a tax bill,” said Senator Coons. “I’ve been working for years to fix this flaw in our tax code to ensure that Americans currently held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad don’t owe thousands of dollars to the IRS when we finally bring them home. I’m so glad that my colleagues have finally supported this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I hope the president signs it immediately to bring this cruel practice to an end.” The End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, led by Senator Coons and Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), was inspired by Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who was wrongfully detained by the Iranian government for 544 days in 2014. After returning home, Rezaian received a bill for over $20,000 in interest, fines, and other penalties related to tax payments that were due while he was imprisoned in Iran. The bill will prevent the IRS from imposing penalties and charging interest on tax payments that eligible Americans were unable to make while held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. The bill will also provide relief for penalties already paid by certain former hostages and wrongful detainees who returned home in recent years. The IRS has previously made clear this tax issue could only be fixed through legislation. Senator Coons initially introduced this bill in December 2022. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed companion legislation introduced by Reps. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) and Dina Titus (D-Nev.). A transcript and video of Senator Coons’ remarks on the Senate floor this evening as he sought unanimous consent are available below. WATCH HERE. Senator Coons: Mr. President, I wonder if you’ve heard the story of Jason Rezaian. Jason was a Washington Post reporter, an Iranian-American who was stationed in Tehran and reporting for the Washington Post on the goings-on of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2014, he was arrested by the secret police and disappeared. Months later, it was revealed that he was a political prisoner being held at a notorious prison inside Iran. Jason was ultimately detained for 544 days before he was released, which he recounted in his harrowing tale, “Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison.” When Jason returned to the United States at last, having been freed and returned to his family, what was the first thing he got from the U.S. government? A tax bill. A tax bill for $20,000 for late filing and late payment. Mr. Rezaian is a resourceful guy. He went to the IRS and said, “Hey, how can you charge me for late payment, penalties, and fees? I was in prison in Iran.” They said, “Well, how are we supposed to know that?” He said, “It was on the front page of the Washington Post.” They said, “Well, we can’t just forgive fees and fines for anybody who comes and talks to us.” They went through months and months of arguing back and forth, and he managed to get most of the fines and fees reduced, but not all. And so, after I met with him, now, years ago, I drafted and introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. I bet you can guess what this bill does. There is a corollary, a companion in the House: the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. And I’m grateful to Congresswoman Titus and Tenney of Nevada and New York for their co-sponsorship. It has passed the House unanimously. Tonight, Senator Rounds and I have an opportunity to ask for unanimous consent that we pass this legislation in the Senate and send it to President Trump’s desk. Incredibly, when we asked for the score on this bill, it’s positive, because the IRS insists on litigating these cases, and they almost always lose them. They waste staff time and money suing people who were hostages or prisoners overseas. This is simple. It’s common sense. It’s bipartisan, and it’s compassionate. I want to thank Senators Crapo and Wyden for allowing Senator Rounds and me to pull this bill out of their larger tax package and pass it by unanimous consent tonight. And I want to thank Senator Mike Rounds for being an early adopter, when I explained what happened to Jason Rezaian, he said, “We should pass that, and pass it right away.” Well, for better or worse, it’s taken years. But here we are tonight, on the verge of sending it to the president’s desk. And I cannot say how grateful I am for the chance to get this simple, clear, commonsense bill passed to help Americans who might tragically be held hostage or imprisoned wrongfully overseas. | 1 | 2026-10-01T11:23:28Z | 2026-10-01T11:25:15Z |