[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2499 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2499

  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow nonitemizers a 
       deduction for a portion of their charitable contributions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 1997

   Mr. Crane (for himself, Mr. Coyne, Mr. Herger, and Mrs. Thurman) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow nonitemizers a 
       deduction for a portion of their charitable contributions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Charitable Giving Relief Act''.

SEC. 2. DEDUCTION FOR PORTION OF CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE ALLOWED 
              TO INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT ITEMIZE DEDUCTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to charitable, etc., contributions and gifts) is amended by 
redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n) and by inserting after 
subsection (l) the following new subsection:
    ``(m) Deduction for Individuals Not Itemizing Deductions.--In the 
case of an individual who does not itemize his deductions for the 
taxable year, there shall be taken into account as a direct charitable 
deduction under section 63 an amount equal to 50 percent of the excess 
of the amount allowable under subsection (a) for the taxable year over 
$500.''
    (b) Direct Charitable Deduction.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (b) of section 63 of such Code 
        is amended by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1), by 
        striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting 
        ``, and'', and by adding at the end thereof the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(3) the direct charitable deduction.''
            (2) Definition.--Section 63 of such Code is amended by 
        redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h) and by inserting 
        after subsection (f) the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Direct Charitable Deduction.--For purposes of this section, 
the term `direct charitable deduction' means that portion of the amount 
allowable under section 170(a) which is taken as a direct charitable 
deduction for the taxable year under section 170(m).''
            (3) Conforming amendment.--Subsection (d) of section 63 of 
        such Code is amended by striking ``and'' at the end of 
        paragraph (1), by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
        (2) and inserting ``, and'', and by adding at the end thereof 
        the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) the direct charitable deduction.''
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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