Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow loans from individual retirement plans for qualified small business capital assets.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the penalty tax for prohibited transactions loans from an individual retirement plan to acquire certain small business capital assets. Requires such loans to be repaid within five years.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide economic incentives for the preservation of open space and conservation of natural resources, and for other purposes.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Paul Coverdell Homestead Open Space Preservation and Conservation Act of 2006 (sic) - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain tax-exempt conservation organizations a tax credit for expenditures to acquire and maintain real property interests exclusively for conservation purposes.

Latest Action: 01/22/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a deferral of tax on gain from the sale of telecommunications businesses in specific circumstances or a tax credit and other incentives to promote diversity of ownership in telecommunications businesses. 1/22/2007--Introduced. Telecommunications Ownership Diversification Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer election to exclude from gross income a portion of the gain from the sale of the assets of a telecommunications business to an eligible purchaser. Defines "eligible purchaser" as: (1) any economically and socially disadvantaged business as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury using specified criteria; or (2) a corporation or partnership which, following the sale of a telecommunications business, owns substantially all of the assets of such business and is at least five percent owned by the Telecommunications Development Fund established under the Communications Act of [...]

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Latest Action: 03/15/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3203-3204)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the indexing of certain assets for purposes of determining gain or loss.

3/15/2007--Introduced.

Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an inflation adjustment based upon the gross domestic product deflator to the adjusted basis of certain assets (including C corporation common stock and tangible property used in a trade or business) held by a taxpayer for more than three years for purposes of determining gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of such assets.

Sets forth rules for applying such inflation adjustment to short sales, regulated investment companies and real estate investment trusts, partnerships and other pass-thru entities, and dispositions of assets between related persons.

Latest Action: 10/18/2007 - The Chair announced that the message and the accompanying bill would be referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means and that the Clerk would be directed to notify the Senate of the actions of the House.

Bill Text
An act to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. 9/25/2007--House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment.    (There are 4 other summaries) Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Makes the amendments made by this Act effective on October 1, 2007, regardless of whether final regulations have been promulgated to carry them out. Allows certain state plans under titles XIX (Medicaid) or XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) (also known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) that require state legislation to meet additional requirements imposed by this Act additional time to make required plan changes. Sets forth a contingent effective date for CHIP funding for FY2008. Title I: Financing - Subtitle A: Funding - (Sec. 101) Amends SSA title XXI to reauthorize the CHIP program through FY2012 at [...]

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Latest Action: 03/28/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to make ineligible for Federal contract awards any expatriated corporations and any companies that do business with, or own foreign subsidiaries that do business with, state sponsors of terrorism or foreign terrorist organizations. 3/28/2007--Introduced. Restoring Integrity in Contracting Act of 2007 - Disqualifies an acquiring corporation, or any subsidiary of such a corporation, that enters into a corporate expatriation transaction from federal contract awards for five years. Authorizes the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to extend the period of ineligibility as a penalty for failure to disclose such a transaction.Authorizes a presidential waiver in the interest of national security. Disqualifies any entity doing business with, or having a parent or subsidiary doing business with, a state sponsor of terrorism or foreign terrorist organization from federal contract awards for at least five years. Exempts entities selling food, agricultural [...]

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Latest Action: 03/01/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the indexing of certain assets for purposes of determining gain or loss.

3/1/2007--Introduced.

Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an inflation adjustment based upon the gross domestic product deflator to the adjusted basis of certain assets (including C corporation common stock and tangible property used in a trade or business) held by a taxpayer for more than three years for purposes of determining gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of such assets.

Sets forth rules for applying such inflation adjustment to short sales, regulated investment companies and real estate investment trusts, partnerships and other pass-thru entities, and dispositions of assets between related persons.

Latest Action: 04/26/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5214)

Bill Text
A bill to strengthen the liability of parent companies for violations of sanctions by foreign entities, and for other purposes.

4/26/2007--Introduced.

Stop Business with Terrorists Act of 2007 - Subjects the parent company of a foreign entity that violates certain executive orders prohibiting certain business transactions with Iran (or other such prohibitions imposed on Iran under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) to penalties to the same extent as if the parent company had engaged in such violations. Provides that such prohibitions and penalties shall not apply if the parent company divests or terminates its business with such entity.

Latest Action: 03/06/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by establishing National Enterprise Zones to promote prosperity in economically depressed areas.

3/6/2007--Introduced.

National Enterprise Zone Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to designate areas in the United States and its possessions as National Enterprise Zones and to publish a list of such Zones. Requires a Zone to: (1) have more than 50,000 residents; (2) have a poverty rate of two times the national poverty rate; and (3) have an unemployment rate two times the national average.

Allows corporate and noncorporate taxpayers with taxable income from an active trade or business within such a Zone to elect a reduced alternative income tax in lieu of existing income and alternative minimum tax rates.

Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of such program.

Latest Action: 05/16/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to enhance the ability of community banks to foster economic growth and serve their communities, boost small businesses, increase individual savings, and for other purposes. 5/16/2007--Introduced. Community Banks Serving Their Communities First Act, or the Communities First Act - Revises regulatory requirements for community banks, including amendments to: (1) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to permit certain insured depository institutions to submit a short form report of condition; (2) the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to exempt certain small-sized depository institutions from annual management assessment of internal controls requirements; (3) the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 to exempt certain small-size community banks from its prohibition against advances for customers' net equity claims; (4) the Federal Reserve Act to increase the asset size of banks exempt from the limitation on extensions of credit to executive officers, directors, and principal [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
To make technical corrections related to the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and for other purposes. 6/26/2008--Introduced. Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Makes technical corrections to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to conform to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 regarding various specified items, including: (1) the target normal cost of benefits; (2) specified implementation and effective dates for certain requirements; (3) one-participant retirement plans; (4) special age-related rules in accrued benefit requirements for applicable defined benefit plans; (5) inapplicability in certain cases of the limitation on income deductions (for tax purposes) for employer contributions to one or more defined contribution plans; and (6) adjustments to averaging in the determination of the value of the assets of single-employer defined benefit pension plans for minimum funding purposes. Makes technical [...]

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Latest Action: 06/26/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide individuals temporary relief from the alternative minimum tax, and for other purposes. 6/25/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Title I: Individual Tax Relief - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase and extend through 2008 the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amounts; and (2) extend through 2008 the offset of certain nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and AMT tax liability.Title II: Revenue Provisions- (Sec. 201) Defines an "investment services partnership interest" as any interest in a partnership held by a person who provides services to a partnership by: (1) advising the partnership about investing in, purchasing, or selling specified assets; (2) managing, acquiring, or disposing of specified assets; or (3) arranging financing with respect to acquiring specified assets.[...]

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Latest Action: 05/01/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3704-3706)

Bill Text
A bill to ensure that persons who form corporations in the United States disclose the beneficial owners of those corporations, in order to prevent wrongdoers from exploiting United States corporations for criminal gain, to assist law enforcement in detecting, preventing, and punishing terrorism, money laundering, and other misconduct involving United States corporations, and for other purposes. 5/1/2008--Introduced. Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: (1) establish uniform requirements for states relating to the disclosure of beneficial owners of corporations and limited liability companies formed in such states and the updating of such disclosures; (2) require states to maintain beneficial ownership disclosure information for five years after a corporation or limited liability company is terminated; (3) impose additional identification requirements for the beneficial owners of corporations or limited [...]

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Latest Action: 04/29/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, to limit income eligibility expansions under that program until the lowest income eligible individuals are enrolled, and for other purposes. 4/29/2008--Introduced. Responsible Expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program Act of 2008 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to revise, reauthorize, and extend the SCHIP program through FY2013. Requires the state SCHIP plan to specify how it will achieve coverage for 85% of eligible targeted low-income children in the state. Prohibits payment for child health assistance for a targeted low-income child in a family whose income exceeds 300% of the poverty line. Sets forth special rules for children with family income between 200% and 300% of the applicable poverty line.[...]

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Latest Action: 04/16/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to conform return preparer penalty standards, delay implementation of withholding taxes on government contractors, enhance taxpayer protections, assist low-income taxpayers, and for other purposes. 4/15/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the standards for imposing penalties on tax return preparers for understatements of tax to require: (1) substantial authority for a position with respect to an item on a tax return if such position was not disclosed with the return; and (2) a reasonable basis for a position that was disclosed with the return. Requires tax return preparers to have a reasonable belief that a position with respect to a tax shelter or a reportable transaction (a transaction having a potential for tax avoidance or evasion) will more likely than not be sustained on [...]

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Latest Action: 04/15/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
To prohibit the awarding of a contract or grant in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that the contractor or grantee has no seriously delinquent tax debts, and for other purposes. 4/14/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on April 10, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2008 - Establishes a policy that no U.S. government contracts or grants should be awarded to individuals or companies with seriously delinquent tax debts.Requires a person who has such a debt to be proposed for debarment from any federal government contract unless such requirement is waived by a federal agency head. Requires an agency head that issues an invitation for bids or a request for [...]

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Latest Action: 12/19/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to prohibit the awarding of a contract or grant in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that the contractor or grantee has no seriously delinquent tax debts, and for other purposes.

12/19/2007--Introduced.

Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2007 - Prohibits any person who has a seriously delinquent tax debt from obtaining a federal government contract or grant. Requires federal agency heads to require prospective contractors or grantees to: (1) certify that they do not have such a debt; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information describing whether such contractors or grantees have such a debt.

Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" and an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.

Latest Action: 01/22/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide individuals temporary relief from the alternative minimum tax, and for other purposes. 12/12/2007--Passed House without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)AMT Relief Act of 2007 - Title I: Individual Tax Relief - (Sec. 101) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2007 for individual taxpayers: (1) the offset of nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and alternative minimum tax (AMT) liability; and (2) the increased AMT exemption amounts.(Sec. 103) Increases the AMT refundable credit amount for individual taxpayers with long-term unused tax credits in prior taxable years. Abates any underpayment of tax and related interest and penalties attributable to the application of special AMT rules for the treatment of incentive [...]

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Latest Action: 11/13/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to restructure and replace the income tax system of the United States to meet national priorities, and for other purposes. 11/13/2007--Introduced. Simplified USA Tax Act of 2007 - Repeals, after 2006, income tax and estate and gift tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Replaces such Code with a new tax system, to be known as the Simplified USA Tax. Establishes three income tax brackets at 15, 25, and 30% for individual taxpayers. Redefines "gross income" and allows certain exclusions from gross income, including previously-taxed benefits, tax-exempt bond interest, compensation for injuries and sickness, and gain from the sale of a principal residence. Allows tax deductions for alimony and child support, home mortgage interest, certain higher education expenses, and charitable contributions. Allows a tax credit for employee social security payroll taxes.Revises rules for Roth individual retirement [...]

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Latest Action: 12/19/2007 - Became Public Law No: 110-141.

Bill Text
To exclude from gross income payments from the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to the victims of the tragic event at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

12/19/2007--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries)

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on December 4, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Excludes from gross income, for federal income tax purposes, any payments made by Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) out of the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to the victims of the tragic shootings at such school on April 16, 2007.

Increases the penalty for failure to file a partnership income tax return, for a taxable year beginning in 2008, by one dollar (from $85 to $86) per month (multiplied, as under current law, by the number of partners in the offending partnership during any part of the taxable year).