Top Legislation - View All

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. 6/17/2008--Introduced. Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase and extend through 2008 the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amounts; (2) extend through 2008 the offset of certain nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and AMT tax liabilities; (3) treat net income and loss from an investment services partnership interest as ordinary income and loss; (4) deny major integrated oil companies a tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, gas, or primary products thereof; (5) limit tax treaty benefits with respect to U.S. withholding of tax requirements imposed on certain tax deductible payments made directly to a foreign parent corporation; (6) require payment settlement entities to report certain identifying information to the Internal Revenue [...]

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Latest Action: 06/17/2008 - Became Public Law No: 110-245.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide benefits for military personnel, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Passed Senate without amendment.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on May 20, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Heroes Earning Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 -Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax benefits and incentives for military personnel.Title I: Benefits for Military - (Sec 101) Exempts married taxpayers who file a joint tax return from the identification requirement for the 2008 recovery tax rebate if at least one of the filers is a current member of the Armed Forces.(Sec. 102) Makes permanent the election to treat combat zone compensation as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit. (Sec. 103) Makes permanent the exemption from the first-time homebuyer rule for veterans [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S149-150)

Bill Text
A bill to expand access to affordable health care and to strengthen the health care safety net and make health care services more available in rural and underserved areas. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Access to Affordable Health Care Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) tax credits to small businesses for qualified employee health insurance expenses; (2) tax credits for qualified health insurance; (3) deductions for long-term care premiums; and (4) tax credits for individuals with long-term care needs. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award grants to states to assist in planning, developing, and operating qualified small employer purchasing groups for health insurance. Directs the Small Business Administration to award grants to states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to provide health insurance information to small employers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to award demonstration grants for [...]

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

Bill Text
To promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales tax to be administered primarily by the States. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Fair Tax Act of 2007 - Repeals the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax. Redesignates the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as the Internal Revenue Code of 2007. Imposes a national sales tax on the use or consumption in the United States of taxable property or services. Sets the sales tax rate at 23 percent in 2009, with adjustments to the rate in subsequent years. Allows exemptions from the tax for property or services purchased for business, export, or investment purposes and for state government functions. Sets forth rules relating to: (1) the collection and remittance of the sales tax; and (2) credits and refunds. Allows families a sales tax rebate.Grants states the primary authority for the collection [...]

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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 provide tax incentives for small businesses, and for other purposes.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Small Business Tax Fairness and Simplification Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow self-employed individuals to participate in cafeteria pension plans; (2) allow long-term care insurance under cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements; (3) allow accelerated amortization of certain intangible assets (e.g., good will) acquired from a small business; (4) increase the tax exclusion of gain from the sale of certain small business stock; (5) provide a $2,500 standard tax deduction for home business expenses; (6) permit certain small businesses to elect a taxable year ending in a month from April to November; (7) increase the allowable number of S corporation shareholders; and (8) exempt certain small businesses from withholding of tax requirements for payments made by government entities.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Bill Text
To increase the minimum wage, to provide access to health care coverage to employees of small businesses, and to preserve American jobs. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Working Families Wage and Access to Health Care Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to incrementally increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25. Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations, and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. Establishes the Association Health Plan Fund to be used by the Secretary of Labor to make payments to an insurer to maintain coverage for a plan, if there is a reasonable expectation that, without such payments, claims would not be satisfied by reason of termination of coverage.[...]

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Latest Action: 01/22/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage, and for other purposes. 1/22/2007--Introduced. Minimum Wage Act of 2007 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and (3) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent accelerated cost recovery provisions for qualified leasehold improvement and restaurant property; (2) permit certain small businesses with gross receipts of not more than $10 million to use cash accounting methods and be exempt from the requirement of using inventories; (3) allow employers the work opportunity tax credit for hiring certain restaurant workers between the ages of 16 and 20; (4) set forth a definition and rules for evaluating the economic substance [...]

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Latest Action: 01/22/2007 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. With written report No. 110-1. Additional views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide additional tax incentives to employers and employees of small businesses, and for other purposes. 1/22/2007--Reported to Senate without amendment, 1st committee reporting.    (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.) Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007 - Title I: Small Business Tax Relief Provisions - Subtitle A: General Provisions - (Sec. 101) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2010 the increased expensing allowance for small business assets. (Sec. 102) Extends through March 2008 accelerated depreciation of qualified leasehold and restaurant improvement property. Revises the definition of "qualified restaurant property" to eliminate the requirement that improvements to restaurant property must be [...]

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Latest Action: 01/24/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1070-1071)

Bill Text
A bill to provide pay protection for members of the Reserve and the National Guard, and for other purposes. 1/24/2007--Introduced. Helping Our Patriotic Employers at Helping Our Military Employees Act of 2007 or the HOPE at HOME Act of 2007- Entitles federal employees who are absent from their jobs for a period of more than 90 days for the purpose of performing active duty service in the uniformed services to receive the full amount of basic pay that they would have received if there had been no such interruption in their federal employment.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow employers a business tax credit for 50 percent of the actual compensation paid to Ready Reserve-National Guard employees while on active duty or hospitalized incident to such duty; (2) allow employers a tax credit for wages paid to temporary employees hired to replace Ready Reserve-National Guard employees while on active duty; (3) provide for withholding of tax on differential wage [...]

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Latest Action: 01/31/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1431)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief to active duty military personnel and employers who assist them, and for other purposes. 1/31/2007--Introduced. Active Duty Military Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow certain small business owners (with 100 or fewer employees) and self-employed individuals a tax credit for wages paid to members of the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces and to temporary replacement employees for such members while on active military duty; (2) treat differential wage payments made to members of the Ready Reserve as earned income for tax withholding and retirement plan purposes; (3) allow the rollover of military death gratuities to individual retirement accounts, health savings accounts, Archer medical savings accounts, and education savings accounts; (4) increase the standard tax deduction by $1,000 in 2007 and 2008 for members of the uniformed services on active duty for more than 30 [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

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. 6/17/2008--Introduced. Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase and extend through 2008 the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amounts; (2) extend through 2008 the offset of certain nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and AMT tax liabilities; (3) treat net income and loss from an investment services partnership interest as ordinary income and loss; (4) deny major integrated oil companies a tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, gas, or primary products thereof; (5) limit tax treaty benefits with respect to U.S. withholding of tax requirements imposed on certain tax deductible payments made directly to a foreign parent corporation; (6) require payment settlement entities to report certain identifying information to the Internal Revenue [...]

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Latest Action: 06/17/2008 - Became Public Law No: 110-245.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide benefits for military personnel, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Passed Senate without amendment.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on May 20, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Heroes Earning Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 -Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax benefits and incentives for military personnel.Title I: Benefits for Military - (Sec 101) Exempts married taxpayers who file a joint tax return from the identification requirement for the 2008 recovery tax rebate if at least one of the filers is a current member of the Armed Forces.(Sec. 102) Makes permanent the election to treat combat zone compensation as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit. (Sec. 103) Makes permanent the exemption from the first-time homebuyer rule for veterans [...]

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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: 11/15/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for residents of Puerto Rico who participate in cafeteria plans under the Puerto Rican tax laws an exclusion from employment taxes which is comparable to the exclusion that applies to cafeteria plans under such Code.

11/15/2007--Introduced.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from employment and unemployment taxes payments made on behalf of Puerto Rican residents participating in tax-exempt employee benefit cafeteria plans established under Puerto Rican law.

Latest Action: 11/13/2007 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. With written report No. 110-228. Additional views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and to extend the financing for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and for other purposes. 11/13/2007--Reported to Senate 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.)American Infrastructure Investment and Improvement Act of 2007 - Title I: Airport And Airway Trust Fund Provisions And Related Taxes - (Sec. 101) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY2011 the excise taxes on aviation fuels and the transportation of persons and property by air.(Sec. 102) Extends through FY2011 the expenditure authority for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.(Sec. 103) Imposes an excise tax on aviation-grade kerosene of 35.9 cents per gallon (4.3 cents per gallon for fuel used in commercial aviation). (Sec. 104) Increases to $16.[...]

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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: 12/26/2007 - Became Public Law No: 110-166.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions, and for other purposes.

12/26/2007--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries)

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on December 6, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2007 for individual taxpayers: (1) the increased alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amounts; and (2) the offset of nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and AMT liability.

Latest Action: 10/18/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for small businesses.

10/18/2007--Introduced.

Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the work opportunity tax credit, the new markets tax credit, and the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) make permanent accelerated depreciation of qualified leasehold improvement and restaurant property and expensing of environmental remediation expenditures; (3) increase the partial tax exclusion of gain from sales of certain small business stock for noncorporate business taxpayers and businesses in an empowerment zone; (4) permit certain small businesses to elect taxable years ending between April and November; (5) increase the allowable number of S corporation shareholders from 100 to 150; and (6) exempt certain small businesses from the 3% withholding requirement applicable to payments made to such businesses by government entities.

Latest Action: 10/15/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief to active duty military personnel and employers who assist them, and for other purposes. 10/15/2007--Introduced. Active Duty Military Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow certain small business owners (businesses having 100 or fewer employees) and self-employed individuals a tax credit for wages paid to members of the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces and to temporary replacement employees for such members while on active military duty; (2) treat differential wage payments made to members of the Ready Reserve as earned income for tax withholding and retirement plan purposes; (3) allow the rollover of military death gratuities to individual retirement accounts, health savings accounts, Archer medical savings accounts, and education savings accounts; (4) increase the standard tax deduction by $1,000 in 2007 and 2008 for members of the uniformed services on active duty for more [...]

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Latest Action: 09/25/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1979-1980)

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that tips shall not be subject to income or employment taxes.

9/25/2007--Introduced.

Tax Free Tips Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt tips from the income tax, social security and railroad retirement taxes, unemployment taxes, and tax withholding. Defines "tips" as any gratuity provided to a salaried employee by a customer or client of the employer's business.