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Members press for repeal or protection against estate tax to shield family farms and small businesses
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Summary
Multiple representatives from agricultural districts said they will push to repeal the estate ("death") tax or preserve the high exemption, saying expiration of 2017 provisions would force family farms and small businesses to sell assets to pay taxes.
At the Ways and Means member day hearing, several members made the estate tax — often referred to as the "death tax" — a central ask for reconciliation. Representative Brad Finstad, Representative Tom Barrett (Michigan), Representative Mark Downing (Montana), Representative Kiley and others warned that a reversion or reduction of the current exemption would force family farms and small businesses to liquidate assets to pay estate taxes.
Representative Downing said many farms are “land rich and cash poor” and that cutting the exemption exposes grieving families to large tax bills at the time of death. He urged full repeal but asked at minimum that the committee maintain protections for farms and ranches to allow orderly generational transfers.
Representative Tom Barrett highlighted district-level impacts: “More than 4,000 family owned farms in my district” would face substantial estate-tax exposure under some revert scenarios, and he urged permanence for protections that allow transfers without forced liquidation.
Why it matters: Members argued the issue is not solely about tax avoidance by wealthy households but about preserving multi-generational businesses and food security. Several members characterized the estate tax as incompatible with keeping family farms intact, especially where land values have risen sharply.
Next steps: Members asked Ways and Means to include repeal or permanent protection for estate-tax exemptions in reconciliation drafting. No committee vote or final legislative text was offered at the hearing.
