Vote on hold to declare Hurricane Ian as qualified disaster

A congressional committee was supposed to consider tax relief for Hurricane Ian victims Wednesday, but the vote to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy has put the vote on hold.

The bill would increase the amount of losses you can write off.

WINK News contacted Congressman Steube after the ouster of McCarthy as speaker of the house. He answered and said he would call back.

Steube told WINK News the morning before McCarthy was pushed out, “If you are in a presidentially declared disaster area, then you automatically will be able to deduct your expenses from that natural disaster from your taxes. I don’t understand why Congress has to go through this exercise every single time there’s a natural disaster.”

The bill needs to be passed by the president by Oct. 15. If not, many who are still hurting will have to file an amended tax return.