# Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act

Right now, military service members who work in combat zones get a special tax break—they don't have to pay federal income taxes on the money they earn while serving in those dangerous areas. This bill extends that same tax benefit to civilian federal employees who work in combat zones, creating equal treatment between the two groups.

The bill applies to any civilian federal worker (like State Department staff, contractors, or other government employees) who serves in an officially designated combat zone or gets hospitalized because of injuries they suffered while working there. These employees would be able to exclude their combat zone pay from their taxable income, just like soldiers do. The tax break lasts for up to two years after combat operations officially end in that zone, giving people time to transition back to normal tax status. The amount excluded would match whatever limit already applies to military personnel, so there's consistency across the board.

This is essentially about fairness. Civilian federal employees often face the same dangers as military personnel when they're deployed to conflict areas, yet they've been taxed on their income while soldiers weren't. The bill levels the playing field by saying that if you're risking your life working for the federal government in a combat zone, you shouldn't have to pay federal income tax on that hazard pay, regardless of whether you're wearing a uniform or not. For affected employees, this could mean keeping more of their paychecks during dangerous assignments and potentially getting refunds on taxes already paid for previous combat zone service.

Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act

Wittman, Robert J.

Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, the compensation of a federal employee who served in a combat zone or was hospitalized as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving in a combat zone. The bill terminates the exclusion two years after the end of combatant activities in such zone.