[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1890 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1890

  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to deny a deduction for 
              certain fines, penalties, and other amounts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 19, 2005

 Mr. Baucus (for himself, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. McCain) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to deny a deduction for 
              certain fines, penalties, and other amounts.

    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 ``Government Settlement Transparency 
Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. DENIAL OF DEDUCTION FOR CERTAIN FINES, PENALTIES, AND OTHER 
              AMOUNTS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (f) of section 162 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to trade or business expenses) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Fines, Penalties, and Other Amounts.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
        deduction otherwise allowable shall be allowed under this 
        chapter for any amount paid or incurred (whether by suit, 
        agreement, or otherwise) to, or at the direction of, a 
        government or entity described in paragraph (4) in relation to 
        the violation of any law or the investigation or inquiry by 
        such government or entity into the potential violation of any 
        law.
            ``(2) Exception for amounts constituting restitution or 
        paid to come into compliance with law.--Paragraph (1) shall not 
        apply to any amount which--
                    ``(A) the taxpayer establishes--
                            ``(i) constitutes restitution (including 
                        remediation of property) for damage or harm 
                        caused by or which may be caused by the 
                        violation of any law or the potential violation 
                        of any law, or
                            ``(ii) is paid to come into compliance with 
                        any law which was violated or involved in the 
                        investigation or inquiry, and
                    ``(B) is identified as restitution or as an amount 
                paid to come into compliance with the law, as the case 
                may be, in the court order or settlement agreement.
        Identification pursuant to subparagraph (B) alone shall not 
        satisfy the requirement under subparagraph (A). This paragraph 
        shall not apply to any amount paid or incurred as reimbursement 
        to the government or entity for the costs of any investigation 
        or litigation.
            ``(3) Exception for amounts paid or incurred as the result 
        of certain court orders.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
        amount paid or incurred by order of a court in a suit in which 
        no government or entity described in paragraph (4) is a party.
            ``(4) Certain nongovernmental regulatory entities.--An 
        entity is described in this paragraph if it is--
                    ``(A) a nongovernmental entity which exercises 
                self-regulatory powers (including imposing sanctions) 
                in connection with a qualified board or exchange (as 
                defined in section 1256(g)(7)), or
                    ``(B) to the extent provided in regulations, a 
                nongovernmental entity which exercises self-regulatory 
                powers (including imposing sanctions) as part of 
                performing an essential governmental function.
            ``(5) Exception for taxes due.--Paragraph (1) shall not 
        apply to any amount paid or incurred as taxes due.''.
    (b) Reporting of Deductible Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--Subpart B of part III of subchapter A of 
        chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
        inserting after section 6050T the following new section:

``SEC. 6050U. INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN FINES, PENALTIES, AND 
              OTHER AMOUNTS.

    ``(a) Requirement of Reporting.--
            ``(1) In general.--The appropriate official of any 
        government or entity which is described in section 162(f)(4) 
        which is involved in a suit or agreement described in paragraph 
        (2) shall make a return in such form as determined by the 
        Secretary setting forth--
                    ``(A) the amount required to be paid as a result of 
                the suit or agreement to which paragraph (1) of section 
                162(f) applies,
                    ``(B) any amount required to be paid as a result of 
                the suit or agreement which constitutes restitution or 
                remediation of property, and
                    ``(C) any amount required to be paid as a result of 
                the suit or agreement for the purpose of coming into 
                compliance with any law which was violated or involved 
                in the investigation or inquiry.
            ``(2) Suit or agreement described.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A suit or agreement is described 
                in this paragraph if--
                            ``(i) it is--
                                    ``(I) a suit with respect to a 
                                violation of any law over which the 
                                government or entity has authority and 
                                with respect to which there has been a 
                                court order, or
                                    ``(II) an agreement which is 
                                entered into with respect to a 
                                violation of any law over which the 
                                government or entity has authority, or 
                                with respect to an investigation or 
                                inquiry by the government or entity 
                                into the potential violation of any law 
                                over which such government or entity 
                                has authority, and
                            ``(ii) the aggregate amount involved in all 
                        court orders and agreements with respect to the 
                        violation, investigation, or inquiry is $600 or 
                        more.
                    ``(B) Adjustment of reporting threshold.--The 
                Secretary may adjust the $600 amount in subparagraph 
                (A)(ii) as necessary in order to ensure the efficient 
                administration of the internal revenue laws.
            ``(3) Time of filing.--The return required under this 
        subsection shall be filed not later than--
                    ``(A) 30 days after the date on which a court order 
                is issued with respect to the suit or the date the 
                agreement is entered into, as the case may be, or
                    ``(B) the date specified Secretary.
    ``(b) Statements to Be Furnished to Individuals Involved in the 
Settlement.--Every person required to make a return under subsection 
(a) shall furnish to each person who is a party to the suit or 
agreement a written statement showing--
            ``(1) the name of the government or entity, and
            ``(2) the information supplied to the Secretary under 
        subsection (a)(1).
The written statement required under the preceding sentence shall be 
furnished to the person at the same time the government or entity 
provides the Secretary with the information required under subsection 
(a).
    ``(c) Appropriate Official Defined.--For purposes of this section, 
the term `appropriate official' means the officer or employee having 
control of the suit, investigation, or inquiry or the person 
appropriately designated for purposes of this section.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections for 
        subpart B of part III of subchapter A of chapter 61 of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 6050T the following new item:

        ``Sec. 6050U. Information with respect to certain fines, 
                            penalties, and other amounts.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to amounts paid or incurred on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, except that such amendments shall not apply to amounts 
paid or incurred under any binding order or agreement entered into 
before such date. Such exception shall not apply to an order or 
agreement requiring court approval unless the approval was obtained 
before such date.
                                 <all>