[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 12, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1711-S1712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 526. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make 
permanent the special rule for contributions of qualified conservation 
contributions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Rural 
Heritage Conservation Extension Act of 2013.
  As we continue to find ways to tackle the important issues of this 
nation's long-term future, we begin this new congress with an 
opportunity to take responsibility. This includes the ways we look to 
safeguard our land. Today, I am introducing the Rural Heritage 
Conservation Extension Act as part of our collective mission to ensure 
a prosperous nation for future generations.
  We all know our land has a deeper worth than the goods we have 
cultivated or extracted from beneath the earth. It is our heritage. And 
when a piece of our heritage is lost, we do not simply lose its future 
value in dollars. We also lose the wildlife habitat and the open areas 
that may be enjoyed by people from around the world, on top of the very 
personal value it has held for generations of landowners. It is our job 
in government, as stewards of the land, to safeguard this precious gift 
for our grandchildren and to provide support to the farmers, ranchers 
and other hard-working landowners who rely on it to make a living.
  For this reason we have decided to provide targeted income tax relief 
to small farmers and ranchers who donate their land under a qualified 
conservation easement. The provision increases the deduction amount 
eligible farmers and ranchers may receive for charitable contributions 
of qualified conservation easements by raising the adjusted gross 
income limitation from 50 percent to 100 percent and extending the 
carryover period from 5 years to 15 years. For all other landowners, 
the AGI limitation was raised from 30 percent to 50 percent. This 
provision was included in the fiscal cliff package and will expire at 
the end of this year. The bill before you, the Rural Heritage 
Conservation Extension Act of 2013, will make this valuable incentive 
permanent.
  Conversation easements have been established as an effective land 
preservation method across the country. In Montana, we currently have 
over 2.1 million acres covered by conservation easements. To some, that 
may seem like a large amount, but this is Montana, and those easements 
are only 2.2 percent of the total state land area. But we leverage far 
more value out of these easements because they are often located within 
or next to large tracts of public lands. In Montana, we fully recognize 
the importance of using these easements to protect our lands. Now is 
the time to help my country and my State to do all they can.

[[Page S1712]]

  This legislative body, the individual States, and the Nation together 
should stand up for future generations and declare that the time for 
land preservation is now. I believe that we should do all we can to 
help landowners afford to choose conservation and preservation, and 
this bill is a step in the right direction. Let us get rid of the 
uncertainty that comes with temporary provisions and build on the 
success of what we have already begun to do. Let us pass the Rural 
Heritage Conservation Extension Act.
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