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Lawmakers Plot To Limit Travel Abroad And At Home
As we make plans for summer travel abroad and at home, concerns turn to the cost of fuel and how it might affect our projected budget. When studying global destination information, we focus on security matters, currency exchange rates and tips from trusted sources. Getting a good handle on all these topics is part of the travel process.
Now, a new concern may affect some travelers. A transportation bill making its way through Congress could allow the federal government to prevent Americans who owe back taxes from leaving the country.
The provision is part of Senate Bill 1813, also called the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, was introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in November and passed by the Senate on March 14. This far-reaching transportation bill allows the federal government to revoke the passports of citizens the IRS claims owe taxes.
Aimed at those who have a seriously delinquent tax debt in excess of $50,000, even if passed, the new law would not affect most people. Still, there are those that fear fundamental rights possessed by Americans to travel, unrestricted, within the USA borders who may be up for review.
"Be aware that once they allow the IRS to block international travel is there one among us who does not believe it will then be extended to travel within the United States?" asks the Beaufort Observer.
"We anticipated some of the terrible provisions; others were simply shocking in scope and shortsightedness," Rails to Trails (RTC) said in a statement urging us to contact our representatives now, using an online form, and ask that they speak to colleagues on the US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee.
Given a moment to breathe, on March 29, two days before the previous extension of our nation's multi-year surface transportation bill expired, congress passed another 90-day extension.
But what the future will bring for international travel by those who owe taxes – or even domestic travel by someone simply looking for a new place to hike – is unknown right now.
On the international travel front, Forbes says, "If he were in charge of travel, the Soup Nazi might say, 'No Passport for you!'" In real life, travel may seem unrelated to taxes, except perhaps for those annoying airport taxes on international destinations. But a bigger tax and travel connection could keep you at home – permanently."
Rails to Trails believes in rights to partake in domestic hiking, backpacking, riding and walking. "For a tiny sliver of transportation funds – less than 2 percent – these programs have provided affordable, healthy transportation options, generated jobs and economic development and preserved historic and environmental assets that provide the quality of life that Americans want and deserve," Kevin Mills, vice president of programming at RTC told Gadling late last year.
[Flickr photo by Moyan Brenn]
Filed under: Biking, Climbing, Hiking, Europe, North America, United States, Camping, Transportation
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Ray Apr 12th 2012 8:21PM
Kinda depends on which side of the Iron Curtain one wants to live on. As I was growing up they told us that the Berlin Wall was built to keep people in. This law does the the same; the IRS debt is just a pretext to allow everyone to be checked at the border. EVERYONE. Papers please.
jbyars Apr 13th 2012 2:05PM
Succently and well said. Both comments.
jbyars Apr 13th 2012 10:26AM
Jay Love - Absolutely correct. Plenty of laws to take care these issues. This feels like another one of those doors the gov't wants to open so there is a precedent set for something later on down the road. Folks need to be diligent about keeping their eyes open on the big picture here. Restricting travel for US residents' laws?? Really? I could have sworn that tax cheats (at a concernable level) were arrestable already. You could, like Jay said....just do that with some sort of expediency, and it's done. They want to leave the country? Just say no! They're on the list that is at all ports of transit for criminals.
Gee whiz! How hard is that?