Target: Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Goal: Praise efforts to end unjust tax on American Olympic athletes who win medals and other prizes.
American Olympic athletes will no longer be the subject of an unnecessary tax after President Barack Obama signed legislation prohibiting the IRS from taxing medals and other prizes won by Olympians.
Prior to this intervention, Olympic athletes were required to pay as much as $25,000 for winning a gold medal, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze. The majority of Olympic athletes compete in sports that offer few opportunities to earn a paycheck, such as swimming, fencing, and gymnastics.
Opposition to the “victory tax” has been growing in recent years. The issue was discussed in this ForceChange petition, and legislation was introduced in Congress to end it. The current bill responsible for the tax’s impending cancellation is sponsored by Sen. Charles Schumer, who succinctly stated that “athletes should be worried about breaking world records, not breaking the bank.”
U.S. Olympic athletes spend their lives training for the opportunity to represent their country. The last thing they deserve is an excessive tax that punishes their efforts. Sign the petition below and thank Sen. Schumer for his efforts to repeal the “victory tax.”
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Schumer,
I am writing to congratulate you on the recent repeal of the so-called “victory tax” on American Olympic Athletes. This tax was an unfair punishment for the many athletes who have worked so hard simply to represent their country. Forcing them to pay for the honor that they have won for their country is a counter-intuitive move.
The bill that outlawed this practice would not have been possible without your dedicated efforts. Thank you for your hard work on this case, and congratulations on seeing your bill turned into law.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Sergei Kazantsev
366 Signatures