[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 285 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 285

      To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that 
reimbursements for costs of using passenger automobiles for charitable 
 and other organizations are excluded from gross income, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 21, 2009

 Mr. Feingold 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 provide that 
reimbursements for costs of using passenger automobiles for charitable 
 and other organizations are excluded from gross income, 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. MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENTS TO CHARITABLE VOLUNTEERS EXCLUDED 
              FROM GROSS INCOME.

    (a) In General.--Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 
139B the following new section:

``SEC. 139C. MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENTS TO CHARITABLE VOLUNTEERS.

    ``(a) In General.--Gross income of an individual does not include 
amounts received, from an organization described in section 170(c), as 
reimbursement of operating expenses with respect to use of a passenger 
automobile for the benefit of such organization. The preceding sentence 
shall apply only to the extent that such reimbursement would be 
deductible under this chapter if section 274(d) were applied--
            ``(1) by using the standard business mileage rate 
        established under such section, and
            ``(2) as if the individual were an employee of an 
        organization not described in section 170(c).
    ``(b) No Double Benefit.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with 
respect to any expenses if the individual claims a deduction or credit 
for such expenses under any other provision of this title.
    ``(c) Exemption From Reporting Requirements.--Section 6041 shall 
not apply with respect to reimbursements excluded from income under 
subsection (a).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part III of 
subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 139B and 
inserting the following new item:

``Sec. 139C. Reimbursement for use of passenger automobile for 
                            charity.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN CRIMINAL MONETARY PENALTY LIMITATION FOR THE 
              UNDERPAYMENT OR OVERPAYMENT OF TAX DUE TO FRAUD.

    (a) In General.--Section 7206 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to fraud and false statements) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Any person who--'' and inserting ``(a) In 
        General.--Any person who--'', and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) Increase in Monetary Limitation for Underpayment or 
Overpayment of Tax Due to Fraud.--If any portion of any underpayment 
(as defined in section 6664(a)) or overpayment (as defined in section 
6401(a)) of tax required to be shown on a return is attributable to 
fraudulent action described in subsection (a), the applicable dollar 
amount under subsection (a) shall in no event be less than an amount 
equal to such portion. A rule similar to the rule under section 6663(b) 
shall apply for purposes of determining the portion so attributable.''.
    (b) Increase in Penalties.--
            (1) Attempt to evade or defeat tax.--Section 7201 of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$100,000'' and inserting 
                ``$250,000'',
                    (B) by striking ``$500,000'' and inserting 
                ``$1,000,000'', and
                    (C) by striking ``5 years'' and inserting ``10 
                years''.
            (2) Willful failure to file return, supply information, or 
        pay tax.--Section 7203 of such Code is amended--
                    (A) in the first sentence--
                            (i) by striking ``misdemeanor'' and 
                        inserting ``felony'', and
                            (ii) by striking ``1 year'' and inserting 
                        ``10 years'', and
                    (B) by striking the third sentence.
            (3) Fraud and false statements.--Section 7206(a) of such 
        Code (as redesignated by subsection (a)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$100,000'' and inserting 
                ``$250,000'',
                    (B) by striking ``$500,000'' and inserting 
                ``$1,000,000'', and
                    (C) by striking ``3 years'' and inserting ``5 
                years''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to underpayments and overpayments attributable to actions 
occurring after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>