https://www.americansabroad.org/advocacy/current-advocacy-efforts/
Current Advocacy Efforts
Learn About the Issues
For decades, ACA has been a trusted source of information and education regarding the problems facing Americans abroad.
Find out more about our ongoing efforts to educate policymakers here.
Current Write-in Campaigns
Writing to your representatives is an excellent way to get involved in our campaigns and these campaign work! ACA has heard from offices contacted and is advocating and educating these offices on the issues.
Find out more here.
Coronavirus Pandemic and CARES Act
The Coronavirus pandemic demonstrated that US citizens overseas are often forgetten when tackling a global health crisis. Find out more about ACA's Cornavirus Advocacy here.
The Affordable Care Act: Coverage, Penalties, Taxes
The Affordable Care Act is legislation that reforms the American healthcare system in order rein in the soaring cost of healthcare. US citizens overseas cannot access the Affordable Care Act and some are subject to paying taxes to fund the program without the ability to offset these taxes with foriegn tax credits.
Find out more here.
Tax Advocacy
ACA has long advocated for changes to the tax system to benefit Americans abroad. ACA supports replacing the unfair (and unusual) citizenship-based taxation (CBT) system with a residence-based taxation (RBT) system.
Find out more here.
Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
ACA believes that Social Security should provide dedicated support to Americans overseas who are accessing Social Security benefits, and that the harmful Windfall Elimination Provision should be eliminated.
Find out more here.
Passport Revocation
ACA believes that revoking US citizen's passports for tax delinquency, especially in the light of the difficulties many US citizens overseas have in ensuring compliance, is unwarranted. In light of the passage of the Passport Revocation provision, US citizens overseas should be given special consideration of their cases given the importance of holding a US passport when overseas.
Find out more here.
Transition Tax/GILTI
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as disproportionately harmed US citizens who are involved in foreign businesses. ACA advocates for a de minimis ruling taking out from the reporting of the Transition Tax and GILTI regimes small businesses owned by US citizens overseas.
Find out more here.
Voting Rights
ACA favors the unhindered exercise of voting rights for eligible overseas Americans, whether military or civilian. We support the Overseas Vote Foundation's Voters Bill of Rights.
Find out more here.
Child Citizenship
ACA believes that all Americans should enjoy the same right to transmit U.S. citizenship to all of their children at birth, including all children born to or adopted by a U.S. citizen abroad.
Find out more here.
FATCA/Same Country Exemption
ACA developed a proposal for Same Country Exemption, which will alleviate the foreign financial bank lock-out problem for Americans living overseas. This proposal is supported by the National Taxpayer Advocate and also in Congresswoman Maloney’s bill, The Overseas Americans Financial Access Act.
Find out more here.
Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit
The enhanced Child Tax Credit, passed in the American Rescue Plan legislation of 2021, and the existing Earned Income Credit, require that those eligible to receive them live at least six month during the year in the United States. This excludes many Americans overseas who may qualify for the tax benefits.
Find out more here.