[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3550 Introduced in House (IH)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 3550

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives 
  for maintaining a strong travel and tourism industry, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 19, 2001

   Mr. Tiahrt (for himself and Mr. Weldon of Florida) 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 provide tax incentives 
  for maintaining a strong travel and tourism industry, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``American Traveler's Assistance 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PERSONAL TRAVEL CREDIT.

    (a) In General.--Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to nonrefundable 
personal credits) is amended by inserting after section 25B the 
following new section:

``SEC. 25C. PERSONAL TRAVEL CREDIT.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an individual, there 
shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter 
for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified personal travel 
expenses which are paid or incurred by the taxpayer on or after the 
date of the enactment of this section and before September 1, 2002.
    ``(b) Maximum Credit.--The credit allowed to a taxpayer under 
subsection (a) for any taxable year shall not exceed $1,000 ($2,000, in 
the case of a joint return).
    ``(c) Qualified Personal Travel Expenses.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `qualified personal travel 
        expenses' means reasonable expenses in connection with a 
        qualifying personal trip for--
                    ``(A) travel by aircraft, rail, watercraft, or 
                motor vehicle, and
                    ``(B) lodging while away from home at any 
                commercial lodging facility.
        Such term does not include expenses for meals, entertainment, 
        amusement, or recreation.
            ``(2) Qualifying personal trip.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualifying personal 
                trip' means travel within the United States--
                            ``(i) the farthest destination of which is 
                        at least 250 miles from the taxpayer's primary 
                        residence (within the meaning of section 121),
                            ``(ii) involves an overnight stay at a 
                        commercial lodging facility, and
                            ``(iii) which is taken on or after the date 
                        of the enactment of this section.
                    ``(B) Only personal travel included.--Such term 
                shall not include travel if, without regard to this 
                section, any expenses in connection with such travel 
                are deductible in connection with a trade or business 
                or activity for the production of income.
            ``(3) Commercial lodging facility.--The term `commercial 
        lodging facility' includes any hotel, motel, resort, rooming 
        house, or campground.
    ``(d) Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Denial of credit to dependents.--No credit shall be 
        allowed under this section to any individual with respect to 
        whom a deduction under section 151 is allowable to another 
        taxpayer for a taxable year beginning in the calendar year in 
        which such individual's taxable year begins.
            ``(2) Expenses must be substantiated.--No credit shall be 
        allowed by subsection (a) unless the taxpayer substantiates by 
        adequate records or by sufficient evidence corroborating the 
        taxpayer's own statement the amount of the expenses described 
        in subsection (c)(1).
    ``(e) Denial of Double Benefit.--No deduction shall be allowed 
under this chapter for any expense for which credit is allowed under 
this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart A of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by inserting before the item relating to section 26 the 
following new item:

                              ``Sec. 25C. Personal travel credit.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
                                 <all>