[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 40 (Thursday, March 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2913-S2917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DORGAN (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Smith, Mr. 
        Schumer, Mrs. Lincoln, and Mr. Coleman):
  S. 819. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand 
tax-free distributions from individual retirement accounts for 
charitable purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, today I'm pleased to be joined by Senators 
Snowe, Kerry, Smith, Schumer, Lincoln and Coleman in re-introducing 
legislation we call the Public Good IRA Rollover Act. This legislation 
allows taxpayers to make tax-free distributions from their individual 
retirement accounts (IRAs) for gifts to charity.
  Last summer, the Congress passed and the President signed into law a 
major bill to reform our pension laws. This 392-page bill contained a 
little noticed but important new charitable giving tax incentive. For 
the first time, taxpayers who have reached age 70\1/2\ are allowed to 
give money directly from their IRAs to qualifying charities on a tax-
free basis without worrying about complicated adjusted gross income and 
other restrictions that otherwise apply to tax deductible charitable 
contributions. The charitable IRA rollover provision in H.R. 4 applies 
only for direct IRA gifts, is capped and it is available for a limited 
time--expiring at the end of this year.
  In fact, the charitable IRA rollover provision in H.R. 4 adopted the 
same general approach of legislation for direct IRA gifts I have been 
working on called the Public Good IRA Rollover Act with several of my 
Senate colleagues for a number of years.
  Before I authored this legislation, I was told by many charities that 
potential donors frequently asked about using their IRAs to make 
charitable donations but decided against such gifts after they were 
told about the potential tax consequences under then-current tax law. I 
am pleased to report that the charitable community is already feeling 
the positive impact of the new charitable IRA rollover measure. 
According to a limited survey conducted by the National Committee on 
Planned Giving thousands of IRA gifts totaling nearly $60 million have 
been made to eligible charities since the tax-free IRA rollover 
provision was enacted into law last August.
  I'm told that the IRA rollovers have resulted in significant gifts in 
North Dakota. It reportedly inspired a donor to Lutheran Social 
Services of North Dakota to contribute $15,000, an amount higher than 
the donor's typical gift. This charitable gift will help the 
organization to continue its diverse programs in such areas as adoption 
services, counseling for at-risk youth, economic self-sufficiency for 
refugees, and services for farmers and ranchers. Lutheran Social 
Services believes that the IRA rollover provision encourages people to 
give more and to continue giving. University of Mary reportedly 
received IRA gifts of over $250,000 in 2006. The Theodore Roosevelt 
Medora Foundation received an IRA gift of $80,000. Ducks Unlimited 
received eleven IRA gifts in 2006 totaling nearly $190,000 and expects 
even more in 2007. Jamestown College reportedly received nine IRA gifts 
in 2006 totaling over $112,000. Other North Dakota charities, including 
Catholic Health Services for Western North Dakota, have benefited from 
IRA gifts as well.
  The charitable IRA rollover has resulted in similar stories across 
the Nation. For example, Goodwill Industries of West Michigan has 
received several contributions as a direct result of the rollover 
provision and believes the provision is resonating with donors. A local 
physician made the single biggest IRA rollover donation of $10,000. The 
physician was not previously a Goodwill donor. This $10,000 donation 
will completely support a homeless family for up to six months in the 
organization's transitional housing and employment program for homeless 
families. This is just one example illustrating the success of the 
charitable IRA rollover but there are dozens of similar stories across 
the country.
  The results are undeniable: the temporary charitable IRA rollover 
incentive is working well and making a difference in the lives of 
people who are assisted by the Nation's charities. And the Public Good 
IRA Rollover Act that we are re-introducing today builds upon last 
year's temporary measure by removing its current dollar cap, expanding 
it to allow taxpayers who have attained age 59\1/2\ to make life-income 
gifts and by making it a permanent part of the Tax Code.
  As a Nation, we depend on a strong, active network of charities, 
small and large, to offer financial and other support to families and 
individuals who need help when government assistance is unavailable. 
That is why I think it's critically important for Congress to do 
everything possible to help encourage the work of worthy charities. 
Permanently extending and expanding the temporary charitable IRA 
rollover in current law will go a long way in that direction.
  A senior official from a major charity once said the charitable IRA 
rollover would be ``the single most important piece of legislation in 
the history of public charitable support in this country.'' The reason 
is the Public Good IRA Rollover Act eliminates major tax obstacles to 
charitable giving. Specifically, our bill would allow individuals to 
make tax-free distributions to charities from their IRAs at the age of 
70\1/2\ for direct gifts and age 59\1/2\ for life-income gifts. These 
changes to the Tax Code will put billions of additional dollars from a 
new source to work for the public good in the years ahead.
  The charitable IRA rollover approach in this legislation has been 
endorsed by over 530 charitable organizations operating in 46 States 
and the District of Columbia, including: AARP, the American Cancer 
Society, the American Red Cross and American Heart Association, 
America's Second Harvest, American Association of Museums, Big Brothers 
Big Sisters of America, Ducks Unlimited, Easter Seals, Goodwill, 
Lutheran Services of America, March of Dimes, the Salvation Army, 
United Jewish Communities, United Way of America, Volunteers of 
America, YMCA of the USA, Prairie Public Broadcasting, the North Dakota 
Community Foundation and many others. In addition, the U.S. Senate is 
previously on record in support of the Public Good IRA Rollover Act. In 
doing so, the Senate recognized that the charitable IRA rollover is an 
important tool for charities to use to raise the funds they need to 
serve those in need, especially when government assistance is not 
available.
  The Bush Administration supports charitable IRA rollovers. In his 
fiscal year 2008 budget submission, President Bush has proposed making 
permanent the limited tax-free charitable IRA distribution provision 
passed last summer

[[Page S2914]]

that is scheduled to expire at the end of this year. While the 
President's charitable IRA proposal has merit, the Public Good IRA 
Rollover Act is superior in one important respect: by allowing tax-
favored life-income gifts from an IRA whose owner has attained the age 
of 59\1/2\.
  In addition to direct IRA gifts, many charities use life-income gifts 
to secure funding commitments today to meet their future needs. Life-
income gifts involve the donation of assets to a charity, where the 
giver retains an income stream from those assets for a defined period. 
Many people would like to give part or all of their IRAs to charity, 
but need the retirement income from their IRAs. Allowing them to roll 
over their IRAs at age 59\1/2\ or older to a charity's life-income plan 
would allow them to secure retirement income and make a charitable 
commitment. The charities could plan on receiving the gift after the 
life interest terminates.
  The benefit of allowing life-income gifts at an earlier age is two-
fold. First, the life-income gift provision in our bill would stimulate 
additional charitable giving. Second, the evidence also suggests that 
people who make life-income gifts often become more involved with 
charities. They serve as volunteers, urge their friends and colleagues 
to make charitable gifts and frequently set up additional provisions 
for charity in their life-time giving plans and at death.
  Life-income gifts are an important tool for charities to raise funds, 
and would receive a substantial boost if they could be made from IRAs 
without adverse tax consequences. But life-income gifts are not part of 
the Administration's proposal. Again, the Public Good IRA Rollover Act 
permits individuals to make tax-favored life-income gifts at the age of 
59\1/2\.
  In closing, I urge my Senate colleagues to review and consider 
cosponsoring this bill. With your help, we can permanently enact into 
law tax-free IRA rollover provisions that charities say is needed to 
encourage billions of dollars in new giving that will provide 
assistance to those who need it most.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill and a letter 
from charitable organizations that have endorsed the Public Good IRA 
Rollover Act be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the materials were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    March 8, 2007.
     Hon. Byron L. Dorgan,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Olympia J. Snowe,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Dorgan and Snowe: We, the undersigned 
     organizations, representing millions of volunteers, donors, 
     and recipients of services who are part of America's 
     nonprofit community, strongly support the ``Public Good IRA 
     Rollover Act of 2007.''
       Since it was enacted in August 2006, the current IRA 
     Charitable Rollover has helped nonprofits enrich lives and 
     strengthen communities across the country and around the 
     world. By eliminating the barrier in the tax law that had 
     previously discouraged transfers from Individual Retirement 
     Accounts to charities, the rollover has enabled Americans to 
     make millions of dollars of new contributions to the 
     nonprofits--including hospitals, museums, educational 
     institutions, and religious organizations--that benefit 
     people every day.
       The IRA Charitable Rollover is scheduled to expire at the 
     end of 2007. It permits eligible IRA owners to make direct 
     gifts to eligible charities from their IRAs without suffering 
     a tax penalty. Beginning at age 70\1/2\, all IRA owners are 
     required to take annual minimum distributions, even if they 
     do not need the income. With the charitable rollover, those 
     who have accumulated more assets than they need in their IRAs 
     can use the distribution and other money in their accounts to 
     support the services and programs of nonprofits. The IRA 
     Rollover is particularly helpful for older Americans who do 
     not itemize their tax deductions and would not otherwise 
     receive any tax benefit for their charitable contributions.
       These advantages are the reason we appreciate your 
     sponsorship of the ``Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2007'' 
     and why we ask that you aggressively push this critical 
     legislation. It would build on the success of the current IRA 
     Rollover by making it permanent, removing the current dollar 
     limit on donations per year, making all charities eligible to 
     receive donations, and providing IRA owners with a planned 
     giving option starting at age 59\1/2\.
       Thank you for your leadership in sponsoring the ``Public 
     Good IRA Rollover Act of 2007.'' We intend to work in 
     partnership with you to push for passage of this critical 
     legislation.
           Respectfully,
     Diana Aviv,
       President and CEO, Independent Sector.
     Tanya Howe Johnson,
       President and CEO, National Committee on Planned Giving.
       With the Undersigned Organizations.

  Organizations in Support of The Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2007

       AACA Museum, Inc., Hershey, PA; AARP, Washington, DC; 
     Acadiana Outreach Center, Lafayette, LA; AFL-CIO Community 
     Services Agency, St. Joseph, MO; Alameda Hospital Foundation, 
     Alameda, CA; Alamo Community College District Foundation, 
     Inc., San Antonio, TX; Alaska Planned Giving Council, 
     Anchorage, AK; Alberta Bair Theater for the Performing Arts, 
     Billings, MT; Albion Volunteer Service Organization, Albion, 
     MI; Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Clearwater, FL; Allegheny 
     College, Meadville, PA; ALL-GA, Atlanta, GA; Alliance for 
     Children and Families, Milwaukee, WI; Aloha United Way, 
     Honolulu, HI; American Arts Alliance, Washington, DC; 
     American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, 
     Washington, DC; American Association of Museums, Washington, 
     DC; American Association on Intellectual and Developmental 
     Disabilities, Washington, DC; American Autoimmune Related 
     Diseases Association, E. Detroit/Eastpointe, MI; American 
     Bible Society, New York, NY.
       American Cancer Society, Washington, DC; American Cancer 
     Society Cancer Action Network, Washington, DC; American 
     Council on Education, Washington, DC; American Dental 
     Association Foundation, Chicago, IL; American Heart 
     Association, Dallas, TX; American Humanics, Inc., Kansas 
     City, MO; American Institute for Cancer Research, Washington, 
     DC; American Land Conservancy, San Francisco, CA; American 
     Red Cross, Washington, DC; American Red Cross, Utica, NY; 
     American Red Cross Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter, Mobile, AL; 
     American Red Cross of New Canaan, New Canaan, CT; American 
     Red Cross of Upper Northumberland County, Milton, PA; 
     American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter, Honolulu, HI; 
     American Red Cross, Heart of Oklahoma Chapter, Norman, OK; 
     American Red Cross-Greater Kansas City Chapter, Kansas City, 
     MO; American Society of Association Executives, Washington, 
     DC; American Symphony Orchestra League, New York, NY; 
     Americans for the Arts, Washington, DC; America's Second 
     Harvest--The Nation's Food Bank Network, Chicago, IL.
       Amherst College, Amherst, MA; Amizade, Pittsburgh, PA; 
     Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI; Archdiocese of 
     Kansas City in Kansas, Kansas City, KS; ARK Consulting, 
     Houston, TX; Arkansas Foodbank Network, Little Rock, AR; 
     Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Little Rock, AR; ArtSpring, 
     Inc., Miami, FL; Ashland University, Ashland, OH; Associated 
     Prevailing Wage Contractors, Inc., Ruston, LA; ASSOCIATED: 
     Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; 
     Association of American Universities, Washington, DC; 
     Association of Art Museum Directors, Washington, DC; 
     Association of Fundraising Professionals, Arlington, VA; 
     Association of Jewish Aging Service of North America, 
     Washington, DC; Association of Jewish Family & Children's 
     Agencies, East Brunswick, IL; Association of Performing Arts 
     Presenters, Washington, DC; Association for the Blind & 
     Visually Impaired--Goodwill of Greater Rochester, Rochester, 
     NY; Augustana College, Rock Island, IL; AVANCE, Inc., San 
     Antonio, TX; Baker University, Baldwin City, KS; Bardmoor 
     YMCA, Largo, FL.
       Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Baton Rouge, LA; Bee, Bergvall 
     & Co, Certified Public Accountants, Warrington PA; Bethesda 
     Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc., Watertown, WI; Better 
     Health of Cumberland County, Inc., Fayetteville, NC; Big 
     Brothers Big Sisters of America, Philadelphia, PA; Big 
     Brothers Big Sisters of Butte-Silver Bow, Inc., Butte, MT; 
     Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu, Inc., Honolulu, HI; 
     Billings Clinic Foundation, Billings, MT; B'nai B'rith 
     International, Washington, DC; Brightest Horizons, Fort 
     Myers, FL; Brown University, Providence, RI; Bucks County 
     Center for Nonprofit Management, Warrington, PA; Butler 
     County United Way, Hamilton, OH; Butte Emergency Food Bank, 
     Butte, MT; California Association of Nonprofits, Los Angeles, 
     CA; California Baptist Foundation, Fresno, CA; California 
     State University, Long Beach, CA; Camp Fire USA, Kansas City, 
     MO; Camp Fire USA Buckeye Council, Fremont, OH; Camp Fire USA 
     Central Oregon Council, Bend, OR; Camp Fire USA Portland 
     Metro Council, Portland, OR; Camp Fire USA Snohomish County, 
     Everett, WA.
       Camp Fire USA Wathana Council, Southfield, MI; Camp Fire 
     USA West Michigan Council, Grands Rapids MI; Capital Region 
     Community Foundation, Lansing, MI; A Carousel for Missoula 
     Foundation, Inc., Missoula, MT; Carroll College, Helena, MT; 
     Casa Esperanza, Inc., Albuquerque, NM; CASE, Washington, DC; 
     Catholic Charities, Galesburg, IL; Catholic Charities CYO of 
     the Archdiocese of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Catholic 
     Charities Diocese of Greensburg, PA, Greensburg, PA; Catholic 
     Charities Diocese of Peoria, Peoria, IL; Catholic Charities 
     of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO; Catholic Charities 
     of Galveston-Houston, Houston, TX; Catholic Charities of 
     Kansas City-St. Joseph, Kansas City, MO; Catholic Charities 
     of Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO;

[[Page S2915]]

     Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, TX; Catholic 
     Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago, IL; 
     Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, 
     Houston, TX; Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria, 
     West Peoria, IL; Catholic Charities USA, Alexandria, VA; 
     Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich, Inc., Norwich, CT; 
     Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, Trenton, NJ.
       Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, Tucson, 
     AZ; Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Wilmington, DE; Catholic 
     Foundation of the Diocese of Lincoln, Lincoln, NE; Catholic 
     Social Services, Inc., Columbus, OH; The Catholic University 
     of America, Washington, DC; Cedar Valley United Way, 
     Waterloo, IA; Cedarhurst Center for the Arts--John R. & 
     Eleanor R. Mitchell Foundation, Mt. Vernon, IL; Center for 
     Community Building, Inc., Harrisburg, PA; Center for 
     Humanistic Change, Bethlehem, PA; Center for Non-Profit 
     Corporations (NJ), North Brunswick, NJ; Center for Nonprofit 
     Excellence, Colorado Springs, CO; Central Louisiana Community 
     Foundation, Alexandria, LA; Central Methodist University, 
     Fayette, MO; The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana 
     University, Indianapolis, IN; Children's Healthcare of 
     Atlanta, Atlanta, GA; The Children's Museum of Northeast 
     Montana, Glasgow, MT; Christchurch School, Christchurch, VA; 
     Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, 
     OH; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH; City 
     Year, Inc., Boston, MA; Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, 
     CA; Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH.
       College Misericordia, Dallas, PA; Colorado Nonprofit 
     Association, Denver, CO; The Columbus Foundation, Columbus, 
     OH; Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston, MA; Communities 
     In Schools, Inc., Alexandria, VA; The Community Foundation 
     for Greater Atlanta, Inc., Atlanta, GA; The Community 
     Foundation for the National Capital Region, Washington, DC; 
     Community Foundation of Decatur/Macon County, Decatur, IL; 
     Community Foundation of Lorain County, Lorain, OH; Community 
     Foundation of Southwest Missouri, Carthage, MO; Community 
     Foundation of the Great River Bend, Davenport, IA; Community 
     Foundation of Waterloo/Cedar Falls and Northeast Iowa, 
     Waterloo, IA; Community Living, Inc., St. Peters, MO; 
     Community Mediation Center, Bozeman, MT; Community Resource 
     Center, Manchester, MI; Community Theater Project Corp./
     Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh, PA; CompassPoint 
     Nonprofit Services, San Francisco, CA; Connecticut 
     Association of Nonprofits, Hartford, CT; ConnectMichigan 
     Alliance, Lansing, MI; Conservation Congress, Lewistown, MT; 
     Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc (CARE), 
     Washington, DC.
       Coro Center for Civic Leadership, Pittsburgh, PA; Council 
     on Foundations, Washington, DC; County United Way, 
     Cumberland, MD; The Cradle Foundation, Evanston, IL; Crocker 
     Art Museum Association, Sacramento, CA; Dance/USA, 
     Washington, DC; DCOSA Foundation, Tuscalo; The DELTA 
     Community, Harrisburg, PA; Detroit Newspapers in Education/
     Michigan KIDS, Inc., Detroit, MI; Diocese of Allentown, PA; 
     Diocese of St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL; Directions for 
     Youth & Families, Columbus, OH; Donors Forum of Chicago, 
     Chicago, IL., Ducks Unlimited, Memphis, TN; Easter Seals 
     Arkansas, Little Rock, AR; Easter Seals, Inc., Chicago, IL; 
     Elderhostel, Boston, MA; Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL; 
     Employee & Family Resources, Inc., Des Moines, IA; Employment 
     Opportunity & Training Center--EOTC, Scranton, PA; Episcopal 
     Collegiate School Foundation, Little Rock, AR; The Episcopal 
     Foundation of Northern California, Sacramento, CA; Estamos 
     Unidos de PA, Harrisburg, PA.
       The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 
     CA; Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, Fargo, ND; First Baptist 
     Church of Indian Rocks, Largo, FL; Flathead Valley Community 
     College Foundation, Kalispell, MT; Florida Philanthropic 
     Network, Winter Park, FL; Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, 
     Inc., Live Oak, FL; Fonkoze USA, New York, NY; The Forbes 
     Funds, Pittsburgh, PA; The Fowler Center, Mayville, MI; 
     Franciscan Foundation, Tacoma, WA; The Fuller Foundation, 
     Pasadena, CA; The George Washington University, Washington, 
     DC; Georgia Center for Nonprofits, Atlanta, GA; Girl Scouts 
     of Eastern South Carolina, North Charleston, SC; Girl Scouts 
     of Northwest North Dakota, Minot, ND; Girls Incorporated, New 
     York, NY; Glacier National Park Fund, Whitefish, MT; GLSEN--
     the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, New York, 
     NY; Goodwill Industries Foundation of Central Indiana, 
     Indianapolis, IN; Goodwill Industries International, Inc., 
     Rockville, MD; Goodwill Industries of Central Virginia, Inc., 
     Richmond, VA; Goodwill Industries of Northeast Iowa, Inc., 
     Waterloo, IL.
       Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan, Inc., Traverse 
     City, MI; Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, 
     Portland, ME; Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, 
     Portland, ME; Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay, 
     Inc., Oakland, CA; Goodwill industries of the Greater East 
     Bay, Inc., Oakland, CA; Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, 
     Inc., Roanoke, VA; Goodwill Southern California, Los Angeles, 
     CA; Goodwill Theatre, Inc., Johnson City, NY; Goodwill/Easter 
     Seals Minnesota, St. Paul, MN; Grand Rapids Community 
     Foundation, Grand Rapids, MI; Greater Columbus Arts Council, 
     Columbus, OH; Greater Des Moines Community Foundation, Des 
     Moines, IA; Greater Gallatin United Way, Bozeman, MT; Greater 
     Miami Jewish Federation, Miami, FL; Greater Milwaukee 
     Foundation, Milwaukee, WI; Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit 
     Partnership; Pittsburgh, PA; Greater Twin Cities United Way, 
     Mpls--St. Paul, MN; Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Inc., 
     Bozeman, MT; Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA; Gulf Coast 
     Community Foundation of Venice, Venice, FL; Habitat for 
     Humanity International, Americus, GA; Habitat for Humanity of 
     Gallatin Valley, Belgrade, MT; Hale Kipa, Inc., Honolulu, HI; 
     Hathaway Brown School, Cleveland, OH; Haven House, East 
     Lansing, MI.
       Health Focus of Southwest, Virginia, Roanoke, VA; Heart of 
     KY United Way, Danville, KY; The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI; 
     Hina Mauka, Kaneohe, HI; Holy Redeemer Health System, 
     Huntingdon Valley, PA; Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 
     Bloomington, IL; Hope Primas, Norristown, PA; Hospice 
     Foundation of Jefferson County, Inc., Watertown, NY; The 
     Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast, Clearwater, FL; 
     House of Healing, Erie, PA; HSHCRC Homes, Inc., Houston, TX; 
     Interfaith Housing Alliance, Inc., Frederick, MD; 
     International Association of Jewish Vocational Services, 
     Philadelphia, PA; International Kids Alliance Network, Auburn 
     Hills, MI; Izaak Walton League of America, Gaithersburg, MD; 
     Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Becket, MA; James P. Gills 
     Family Branch, YMCA of the Suncoast, New Port Richey, FL; 
     Janaka Foundation, Nevada City, CA; Jewish Board of Family & 
     Children's Services, New York, NY; Jewish Family & Children's 
     Service (Philadelphia, PA), Philadelphia, PA; Jewish Family & 
     Children's Service (Tucson, Arizona), Tucson, AZ.
       Jewish Family & Children's Service of San Antonio, San 
     Antonio, TX; Jewish Family & Children's Services of San 
     Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, San 
     Francisco, CA; Jewish Family & Community Services, 
     Jacksonville, FL; Jewish Family Service (Houston, TX), 
     Houston, TX; Jewish Family Service of Buffalo & Erie County, 
     Buffalo, NY; Jewish Family Service of Colorado, Denver, CO; 
     Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg, Inc., 
     Harrisburg, PA; Jewish Family Service of Silicon Valley, Los 
     Gatos, CA; Jewish Family Services (Columbus, OH), Columbus, 
     OH; Jewish Family Services (Milwaukee, WI), Milwaukee, WI; 
     Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City, Overland Park, 
     KS; Jewish Federation of Delaware, Wilmington, DE; Jewish 
     Federation of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, FL; Jewish 
     Federation of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor, MI; Jewish Social 
     Service Agency, Washington, DC; Jewish War Veterans of the 
     USA, Washington, DC; John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa 
     Monica, CA; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Juniata 
     College, Huntingdon, PA; Kellogg Community College, Battle 
     Creek, MI; Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund, Ambler, PA; 
     Lafayette Animal Aid, Carencro, LA; Lake Forest Academy, Lake 
     Forest, IL.
       Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation, Lakeland, FL; 
     Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Inc., Springfield, IL; 
     Land Trust Alliance, Washington, DC; Larned A. Waterman Iowa 
     Nonprofit Resource Center, Iowa City, IA; LCMS Foundation, 
     St. Louis, MO; Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc., 
     Los Angeles, CA; Lee Memorial Health System Foundation, Fort 
     Myers, FL; Lenawee Community Foundation, Tecumseh, MI; 
     Looking For My Sister, Inc., Detroit, MI; Louisiana 
     Association of Nonprofits, Baton Rouge, LA; Louisiana 
     Methodist Children's Home, Ruston, LA; Louordesmont/Good 
     Shepherd, Clarks Summit, PA; Luther Manor, Wauwatosa, WI; 
     Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pa., Arnedtsville, 
     PA; Lutheran Hillside Village, Peoria, IL; Lutheran Senior 
     Services, St. Louis, MO; Lutheran Senior Services at 
     Heisinger Bluffs, Jefferson City, MO; Lutheran Services in 
     America, Washington, DC; Lutheran Services in Iowa, Waverly, 
     IA; Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, Fargo, ND; 
     Madison Jewish Community Council and Jewish Social Services, 
     Madison, WI; Maine Association of Nonprofits, Portland, ME.
       March of Dimes, Washington, DC; Marianist Mission, Dayton, 
     OH; Marquette County Aging Services, Marquette, MI; 
     Marshalltown Area United Way, Marshalltown, IA; Maryland 
     Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD; McLaughlin Research 
     Institute, Great Falls, MT; MedCentral Health System 
     Foundation, Mansfield, OH; Memorial Medical Center 
     Foundation, Long Beach, CA; Mends Compassionate Nursing Care 
     Registry, Inc., Miami, FL; Mennonite Brethren Foundation, 
     Hillsboro, KS; Mennonite Home Communities, Lancaster, PA; 
     Mental Health Kokua, Honolulu, HI; The Mentoring Partnership 
     of SW PA, Pittsburgh, PA; Meredith College, Raleigh, NC; 
     Metro United Way, Louisville, KY; Metropolitan Opera, New 
     York, NY; Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership, Detroit, MI; 
     Michigan Association for Local Public Health, Lansing, MI; 
     Michigan Association of United Ways, Lansing, MI; Michigan 
     Colleges Foundation, Southfield, MI; Michigan Conference 
     Association of Seventh-day Adventists, Lansing, MI; Michigan 
     Historical Center Foundation, Lansing, MI; Michigan Jewish 
     Conference, Lansing, MI.
       Michigan Nonprofit Association, Lansing, MI; Michigan 
     Resource Center for Health and Safety, Lansing MI; The Miller 
     Foundation, Battle Creek, MI; Milwaukee Achiever Literacy 
     Services, Inc., Milwaukee, WI; Milwaukee Jewish Federation, 
     Milwaukee, WI;

[[Page S2916]]

     Minnesota Orchestral Association, Minneapolis, MN; Minot 
     YMCA, Minot, ND; Mississippi Center for Nonprofits, Jackson, 
     MS; Mississippi Policy Forum, Jackson, MS; Mississippi 
     University for Women Foundation, Columbus, MS; Missoula Food 
     Bank, Missoula, MT; Montana Food Bank Network, Missoula, MT; 
     Montana History Foundation, Helena, MT; Montana Nonprofit 
     Association, Helena, MT; Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, 
     Boston, MA; Morristown Memorial Health Foundation, 
     Morristown, NJ; Mt. Pleasant Community Development 
     Corporation, Inc., Monroe, LA; Myasthenia Gravis Association, 
     Southfield, MI; NAMI Orange County (National Alliance on 
     Mental Illness), Santa Ana, CA; National Association for 
     Visually Handicapped, New York, NY; National Association of 
     Independent Schools, Washington, DC; National Audubon 
     Society, Washington, DC.
       National Council of Private Agencies for the Blind and 
     Visually Impaired, St. Louis, MO; National Human Services 
     Assembly, Washington, DC; National MS Society, Maryland 
     Chapter, Owings Mills, MD; National Multiple Sclerosis 
     Society, New York City, NY; National Multiple Sclerosis 
     Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter, Carlsbad, CA; National 
     Multiple Sclerosis Society, Tampa Florida, Tampa, FL; 
     National Schizophrenia Foundation, Lansing, MI; The Nature 
     Conservancy, Arlington, VA; The Navigators, Colorado Springs, 
     CO; Neighborhood Housing Services Inc., Pittsburgh, PA; 
     Neighborhood Service Organization, Detroit, MI; Neighbors for 
     Better Neighborhoods, Winston-Salem, NC; The Network Against 
     Sexual and Domestic Abuse, Bozeman, MT; New Orleans 
     Neighborhood Development Collaborative, New Orleans, LA; New 
     York University, New York, NY; Niagara University, Niagara 
     University, NY; NJ State Association of Jewish Federations, 
     Union, NJ; The Nonprofit Center, Tacoma, WA; Nonprofit 
     Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc., New York, NY; 
     Nonprofit Network, Vancouver, WA; Nonprofit Resource Center, 
     Sacramento, CA; Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, 
     Washington, DC.
       North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, Raleigh, NC; North 
     Carolina Zoological Society, Inc., Asheboro, NC; North Coast 
     Opportunities, Ukiah, CA; North Country Trail Association, 
     Lowell, MI; The North Dakota Community Foundation, Bismarck, 
     ND; Northampton Community College Foundation, Bethlehem, PA; 
     Northeastern University, Boston, MA; Northwestern University, 
     Evanston, IL; Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA; 
     Notre Dame India Mission, Chardon, OH; Oberlin College, 
     Oberlin, OH; Of Moving Colors Productions, Baton Rouge, LA; 
     Ohio Jewish Communities, Colombus, OH; The Omaha Home for 
     Boys, Omaha, NE; OPERA America, New York, NY; Oregon Trout, 
     Portland, OR; Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA; 
     Parents And Children Together, Honolulu, HI; Pennsylvania 
     Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Harrisburg, PA; 
     Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, NC.; Philadelphia Council 
     for Community Advancement, Philadelphia, PA; Phillips 
     Academy, Andover, MA.
       Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa, OK; Phoebe 
     Foundation, Albany, GA; Pittsburgh History & Landmarks 
     Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA.; Plan USA, Warwick, RI; Prairie 
     Public Broadcasting, Inc., Fargo, ND; Prince William Chapter 
     American Red Cross, Manassas, VA; Providence House, 
     Shreveport, LA; Rainbow Kitchen Community Services, 
     Homestead, PA; Ravalli Services Corporation, Hamilton, MT; 
     Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; Richland 
     Voluntary Council on Aging, Inc., Rayville, LA; Rimrock Opera 
     Company, Billings, MT; Riverview Retirement Community, 
     Spokane, WA; Rochester Area Neighborhood House, Inc., 
     Rochester, MI; Rochester Area Community Foundation, 
     Rochester, NY; Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Inc., Missoula, 
     MT; RSVP Montgomery County, PA, Plymouth Meeting, PA; Ruth 
     Rales Jewish Family Service, Boca Raton, FL; SAE Foundation, 
     Warrendale, PA; Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO; Saint Xavier 
     High School, Louisville, KY; The Salvation Army, Alexandria, 
     VA; The Salvation Army, Minnesota & North Dakota, Roseville, 
     MN.
       Samaritan's Purse, Boone, NC; Sandhills Interfaith 
     Hospitality Network, Aberdeen, NC; Sangamon County Community 
     Foundation, Springfield, IL; Santa Clara University, Santa 
     Clara, CA; School Sisters of Notre Dame, Elm Grove, WI; 
     Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN; Seton Hill University, 
     Greensburg, PA; Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA; 
     Sherwood and Myrtie Foster Home for Children, Stephenville, 
     TX; Shimer College, Chicago, IL; Sholom Foundation, 
     Minneapolis, MN; The Sierra Club Foundation, San Francisco, 
     CA; Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL Program, Inc., 
     Livingston, MT; Skaggs Hospital Foundation, Branson, MO; 
     Society Of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation, 
     Dearborn, MI; South Carolina Association of Nonprofit 
     Organizations, Columbia, SC; South Dakota State University 
     Foundation, Brookings, SD; Southern Adventist University, 
     Collegedale, TN; Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food 
     Bank, Salem, VA; Special K Ranch, Inc., Columbus, MT; Special 
     Olympics Inc., Washington, DC.
       St. Bernard Battered Women's Program, Inc., Chalmette, LA; 
     St. David's Society of Pittsburgh, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA; St. 
     George Special Ministries, Brighton, MI; The St. Joe 
     Community Foundation, Panama City Beach, FL; St. John's 
     University, Jamaica, NY; Stanford Jazz Workshop, Stanford, 
     CA; Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, Los Angeles, 
     CA; Sterling College, Sterling, KS; Stetson University, 
     DeLand, FL; Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ; 
     Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna, York, PA; Strategic 
     Solutions, Marquette, MI; Swedish Medical Center Foundation, 
     Seattle, WA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX; Texas 
     Christian University, Fort Worth, TX; The National Catholic 
     Development Conference, Hempstead, NY; The Salvation Army, 
     Honolulu, HI; Theatre Communications Group, New York, NY; 
     Tides Foundation, San Francisco, CA; Tidewater Jewish 
     Foundation, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA; Trans World Radio, 
     Cary, NC; Triangle United Way, Morrisville, NC; The Trust for 
     Public Land, San Francisco, CA; UJA Federation of Northern 
     New Jersey, River Edge, NJ.
       UJA Federation of New York, New York City, NY; UNC 
     Wilmington, Wilmington, NC; Union Rescue Mission, Little 
     Rock, AR; United Cerebral Palsy of Metro Detroit, Southfield, 
     MI; United Cerebral Palsy of South Central PA Inc., York, PA; 
     United Jewish Communities, Washington, DC; United Jewish 
     Communities of Metro/West NJ, Whippany, NJ; United Jewish 
     Council of Greater Toledo, Toledo, OH; United Jewish 
     Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; United 
     Methodist Foundation of WV, Inc., Charleston, WV; United 
     Ministries, Greenville, SC; United Neighborhood Center of 
     America, Milwaukee, WI; United Way California Capital Region, 
     Sacramento, CA; United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 
     Detroit, MI; United Way Fox Cities, Menasha, WI; United Way 
     of America, Alexandria, VA; United Way of Bloomfield, 
     Bloomfield, NJ; United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County, 
     Carlisle, PA; United Way of Central Iowa, Des Moines, IA; 
     United Way of Central Ohio, Columbus, OH.
       United Way of Clallam County, Port Angeles, WA; United Way 
     of Erie County, Erie, PA; United Way of Essex and West 
     Hudson, Newark, NJ; United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 
     Cincinnati, OH; United Way of Greater Mercer County, 
     Lawrenceville, NJ; United Way of Greater Portland, Portland, 
     ME; United Way of Greater Rochester, Rochester, NY; United 
     Way of Harrison County, Inc., Clarksburg, WV; United Way of 
     Henderson County, Henderson, KY; United Way of Jasper County, 
     Newton, IA; United Way of Kentucky, Louisville, KY; United 
     Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, IL; United Way of 
     Nelson County, Bardstown, KY; United Way of North Carolina, 
     Raleigh, NC; United Way of North Central Iowa, Mason City, 
     IA; United Way of Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, FL; United 
     Way of Siouxland, Sioux City, IA; United Way of the Capital 
     Region, Enola, PA; United Way of the Columbia Willamette, 
     Portland, OR; United Way of the Greater Seacoast, Portsmouth, 
     NH; United Way of Williamson County, Williamson County, TX; 
     United Way Volunteer Center of Chippewa County, Sault Ste. 
     Marie, MI; United Ways of Texas, Austin, TX; University of 
     Florida and University of Florida Foundation, Gainesville, 
     FL; University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT.
       University of Illinois Foundation, Urbana, IL; University 
     of Maine Foundation, Orono, ME; University of Maryland 
     Baltimore Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD; University of 
     Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; University of Minnesota Foundation, 
     Minneapolis, MN; The University of North Carolina, State of 
     North Carolina, NC; University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX; 
     The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 
     TX; University of the Ozarks, Clarksville, AR; University of 
     Virginia Law School Foundation, Charlottesville, VA; Ursinus 
     College, Collegeville, PA; US Lacrosse, Baltimore, MD; Utah 
     Valley State College, Orem, UT; Vancouver National Historic 
     Reserve Trust, Vancouver, WA; Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, 
     NY; Villa Nazareth dba Friendship, Inc., Fargo, ND; Village 
     Missions, Dallas, OR; Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community 
     Foundation, Harrisonburg, VA; Volunteers of America, 
     Alexandria, VA; Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN; WADE 
     Management Group, Detroit, MI; Wartburg Theological Seminary, 
     Dubuque, IA.
       The Washington Center for Internships & Academic Seminars, 
     Washington, DC; Watson Children's Shelter, Missoula, MT; 
     Wesleyan College, Macon, GA; Wesleyan Homes, Georgetown, TX; 
     Westminster College, Fulton, MO; Westminster College, New 
     Wilmington, PA; WHAS Crusade for Children, Louisville, KY; 
     Whitefish Community Foundation, Whitefish, MT; Whitman 
     College, Walla Walla, WA; Wildlife Forever, Brooklyn Center, 
     MN; The Williston Northampton School, Easthampton, MA; Wright 
     State University, Dayton, OH; Wycliffe Bible Translators, 
     Orlando, FL; Wycliffe Foundation, Orlando, FL; Yakima Valley 
     Red Cross, Yakima, WA; Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch 
     Foundation, Billings, MT; YES Institute, Miami, FL; YMCA of 
     Honolulu, Honolulu, HI; YMCA of the Suncoast, Clearwater, FL; 
     YMCA of the USA, Washington, DC; Youth Crime Watch of 
     America, Miami, FL; Youth Homes, Missoula, MT; Youth Service 
     America, Washington, DC; Youth Service Bureau of St. Tammany, 
     Covington, LA; YWCA USA, Washington, DC.
                                  ____


                                 S. 819

       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 ``Public Good IRA Rollover Act 
     of 2007''.

[[Page S2917]]

     SEC. 2. TAX-FREE DISTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT 
                   ACCOUNTS FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES.

       (a) In General.--Paragraph (8) of section 408(d) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to tax treatment of 
     distributions) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(8) Distributions for charitable purposes.--
       ``(A) In general.--No amount shall be includible in gross 
     income by reason of a qualified charitable distribution.
       ``(B) Qualified charitable distribution.--For purposes of 
     this paragraph, the term `qualified charitable distribution' 
     means any distribution from an individual retirement 
     account--
       ``(i) which is made directly by the trustee--

       ``(I) to an organization described in section 170(c), or
       ``(II) to a split-interest entity, and

       ``(ii) which is made on or after the date that the 
     individual for whose benefit the account is maintained has 
     attained--

       ``(I) in the case of any distribution described in clause 
     (i)(I), age 70\1/2\, and
       ``(II) in the case of any distribution described in clause 
     (i)(II), age 59\1/2\.

     A distribution shall be treated as a qualified charitable 
     distribution only to the extent that the distribution would 
     be includible in gross income without regard to subparagraph 
     (A) and, in the case of a distribution to a split-interest 
     entity, only if no person holds an income interest in the 
     amounts in the split-interest entity attributable to such 
     distribution other than one or more of the following: the 
     individual for whose benefit such account is maintained, the 
     spouse of such individual, or any organization described in 
     section 170(c).
       ``(C) Contributions must be otherwise deductible.--For 
     purposes of this paragraph--
       ``(i) Direct contributions.--A distribution to an 
     organization described in section 170(c) shall be treated as 
     a qualified charitable distribution only if a deduction for 
     the entire distribution would be allowable under section 170 
     (determined without regard to subsection (b) thereof and this 
     paragraph).
       ``(ii) Split-interest gifts.--A distribution to a split-
     interest entity shall be treated as a qualified charitable 
     distribution only if a deduction for the entire value of the 
     interest in the distribution for the use of an organization 
     described in section 170(c) would be allowable under section 
     170 (determined without regard to subsection (b) thereof and 
     this paragraph).
       ``(D) Application of section 72.--Notwithstanding section 
     72, in determining the extent to which a distribution is a 
     qualified charitable distribution, the entire amount of the 
     distribution shall be treated as includible in gross income 
     without regard to subparagraph (A) to the extent that such 
     amount does not exceed the aggregate amount which would be so 
     includible if all amounts were distributed from all 
     individual retirement accounts otherwise taken into account 
     in determining the inclusion on such distribution under 
     section 72. Proper adjustments shall be made in applying 
     section 72 to other distributions in such taxable year and 
     subsequent taxable years.
       ``(E) Special rules for split-interest entities.--
       ``(i) Charitable remainder trusts.--Notwithstanding section 
     664(b), distributions made from a trust described in 
     subparagraph (G)(i) shall be treated as ordinary income in 
     the hands of the beneficiary to whom is paid the annuity 
     described in section 664(d)(1)(A) or the payment described in 
     section 664(d)(2)(A).
       ``(ii) Pooled income funds.--No amount shall be includible 
     in the gross income of a pooled income fund (as defined in 
     subparagraph (G)(ii)) by reason of a qualified charitable 
     distribution to such fund, and all distributions from the 
     fund which are attributable to qualified charitable 
     distributions shall be treated as ordinary income to the 
     beneficiary.
       ``(iii) Charitable gift annuities.--Qualified charitable 
     distributions made for a charitable gift annuity shall not be 
     treated as an investment in the contract.
       ``(F) Denial of deduction.--Qualified charitable 
     distributions shall not be taken into account in determining 
     the deduction under section 170.
       ``(G) Split-interest entity defined.--For purposes of this 
     paragraph, the term `split-interest entity' means--
       ``(i) a charitable remainder annuity trust or a charitable 
     remainder unitrust (as such terms are defined in section 
     664(d)) which must be funded exclusively by qualified 
     charitable distributions,
       ``(ii) a pooled income fund (as defined in section 
     642(c)(5)), but only if the fund accounts separately for 
     amounts attributable to qualified charitable distributions, 
     and
       ``(iii) a charitable gift annuity (as defined in section 
     501(m)(5)).''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to distributions made in taxable years beginning 
     after December 31, 2006.
                                 ______