[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4243 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4243

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for 
                    the costs of college textbooks.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2004

 Mr. Ryan of Ohio 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 a tax credit for 
                    the costs of college textbooks.

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

SECTION 1. CREDIT FOR COSTS OF COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS.

    (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. COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS.

    ``(a) In General.--In the case of an individual, there shall be 
allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter an amount 
equal to the amount paid or incurred by such individual during the 
taxable year for qualified college textbooks which are used primarily 
by a qualified individual.
    ``(b) Limitation.--The credit allowed under subsection (a) for any 
taxable year shall not exceed $1,000.
    ``(c) Qualified Individual.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`qualified individual' means the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or 
any dependent of the taxpayer with respect to whom the taxpayer is 
allowed a deduction under section 151, but only while such individual 
is an eligible student (as defined in section 25A(b)(3)).
    ``(d) Qualified College Textbooks.--For purposes of this section, 
the term `qualified college textbook' means any book which is required 
for the course of study the student is pursuing.
    ``(e) Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Identification requirement.--No credit shall be 
        allowed under subsection (a) to a taxpayer with respect to 
        qualified college textbooks primarily used by a qualified 
        individual unless the taxpayer includes the name and taxpayer 
        identification number of such individual on the return of tax 
        for the taxable year.
            ``(2) No credit for married individuals filing separate 
        returns.--If the taxpayer is a married individual (within the 
        meaning of section 7703) this section shall apply only if the 
        taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse file a joint return for the 
        taxable year.
            ``(3) Treatment of expenses paid by dependent.--If a 
        deduction under section 151 with respect to an individual is 
        allowed to another taxpayer for a taxable year beginning in the 
        calendar year in which such individual's taxable year begins--
                    ``(A) no credit shall be allowed under subsection 
                (a) to such individual for such individual's taxable 
                year, and
                    ``(B) amounts paid by such individual for qualified 
                college textbooks during such individual's taxable year 
                shall be treated for purposes of this section as paid 
                by such other taxpayer.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for such subpart is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 25B the 
following new item:

``Sec. 25C. College textbooks.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to amounts paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
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