Veterans groups and their lobbyists applaud Arkansas as the only state where all congressional members in both 2015 and 2017 co-sponsored bills to repeal the "Widow's Tax."

"The widows and children of our service members have sacrificed in service to our country, and they deserve the very best," Sen. Tom Cotton said through a spokesman about his support of the "Widow's Tax" repeal.

"We should be honoring them, not taxing their benefits."

Sen. John Boozman has voiced similar feelings.

Republicans Boozman, Cotton and U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, French Hill, Bruce Westerman and Steve Womack are co-sponsors of current repeal bills, the Senate's Senate Bill 339 or the House's similar House Resolution 846.

"Widow's Tax" opponents say at least two of the lawmakers have committee assignments that make them especially influential on this issue: Cotton, a Senate Committee on Armed Services member; and Womack, chairman of the House Budget Committee.

A Boozman spokesman, Patrick Creamer, summed up the problem blocking repeal: "There's a lot of sympathy. Congress is on record saying they want to fix it. The disagreement is where you cut costs to pay for that."

Cost estimates have ranged as high as $10 billion, though veterans groups say they believe the real figure is half that or less.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has said one of his goals this year is to eliminate the "Widow's Tax."

It will take the whole Congress to find money to do it, Thornberry said through a spokesman.

"There is enormous bipartisan support for such a move; the next step is to find a way to accomplish it."

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., so far haven't co-sponsored the repeal bills.

SundayMonday on 04/01/2018