[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1284-S1285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4635. Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. Gallego) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1383, to
establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. WORKING FAMILIES REFUND.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States to use revenue raised from unlawful tariffs applied on
foreign imports, including unlawful tariffs imposed under the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, to provide
relief for working people through immediate tax rebates.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
refunds allowed by reason of the amendments made by this
section are derived from revenues raised from unlawful
tariffs applied to foreign imports, including tariffs imposed
under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
(c) Refunds.--Subchapter B of chapter 65 of subtitle F of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting
after section 6428B the following new section:
``SEC. 6428C. WORKING FAMILIES REFUND.
``(a) In General.--In the case of an eligible individual,
there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by
subtitle A for the first taxable year beginning in 2026 an
amount equal to the sum of--
``(1) $600 (or, in the case of eligible individuals filing
a joint return, $1,200), plus
``(2) an amount equal to the product of $600 multiplied by
the number of qualifying children (within the meaning of
section 24(c)) of the taxpayer.
``(b) Treatment of Credit.--The credit allowed by
subsection (a) shall be treated as allowed by subpart C of
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1.
``(c) Limitation Based on Adjusted Gross Income.--No credit
shall be allowed under subsection (a) with respect to any
taxpayer whose adjusted gross income as exceeds--
``(1) $180,000 in the case of a joint return,
``(2) $120,000 in the case of a head of household, and
``(3) $90,000 in the case of a taxpayer not described in
paragraph (1) or (2).
``(d) Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section,
the term `eligible individual' means any individual other
than--
``(1) any nonresident alien individual,
``(2) any individual with respect to whom a deduction under
section 151 is allowable to another taxpayer for a taxable
year beginning in the calendar year in which the individual's
taxable year begins, and
``(3) an estate or trust.
``(e) Coordination With Advance Refunds of Credit.--
``(1) In general.--The amount of credit which would (but
for this paragraph) be allowable under this section shall be
reduced (but not below zero) by the aggregate refunds and
credits made or allowed to the taxpayer under subsection (f).
Any failure to so reduce the credit shall be treated as
arising out of a mathematical or clerical error and assessed
according to section 6213(b)(1).
``(2) Joint returns.--In the case of a refund or credit
made or allowed under subsection (f) with respect to a joint
return, half of such refund or credit shall be treated as
having been made or allowed to each individual filing such
return.
``(f) Advance Refunds and Credits.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (5), each
individual who was an eligible individual for such
individual's first taxable year beginning in 2025 shall be
treated as having made a payment against the tax imposed by
chapter 1 for such taxable year in an amount equal to the
advance refund amount for such taxable year.
``(2) Advance refund amount.--For purposes of paragraph
(1), the advance refund amount is the amount that would have
been allowed as a credit under this section for such taxable
year if this section (other than subsection (e) and this
subsection) had applied to such taxable year.
``(3) Timing and manner of payments.--
``(A) Timing.--The Secretary shall, subject to the
provisions of this title, refund or credit any overpayment
attributable to this section as rapidly as possible and
before the date that is 40 days after the date of the
enactment of this section. No refund or credit shall be made
or allowed under this subsection after December 31, 2027.
``(B) Delivery of payments.--
``(i) Electronic payment.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary may certify and disburse
refunds payable under this subsection electronically to any
account to which the payee authorized, on or after January 1,
2024, the delivery of a refund of taxes under this title or
of a Federal payment (as defined in section 3332 of title 31,
United States Code).
``(ii) Other payments.--In the case of any refund payable
by check, the check shall be signed by the Secretary.
``(C) Waiver of certain rules.--Notwithstanding section
3325 of title 31, United States Code, or any other provision
of law, with respect to any payment of a refund under this
subsection, a disbursing official in the executive branch of
the United States Government may modify payment information
received from an officer or employee described in section
3325(a)(1)(B) of such title for the purpose of facilitating
the accurate
[[Page S1285]]
and efficient delivery of such payment. Except in cases of
fraud or reckless neglect, no liability under sections 3325,
3527, 3528, or 3529 of title 31, United States Code, shall be
imposed with respect to payments made under this
subparagraph.
``(4) No interest.--No interest shall be allowed on any
overpayment attributable to this section.
``(5) Alternate taxable year.--In the case of an individual
who, at the time of any determination made pursuant to
paragraph (3), has not filed a tax return for the year
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary may--
``(A) apply such paragraph by substituting `2024' for
`2025', and
``(B) if the individual has not filed a tax return for such
individual's first taxable year beginning in 2024, use
information with respect to such individual for calendar year
2024 provided in--
``(i) Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, or
``(ii) Form RRB-1099, Social Security Equivalent Benefit
Statement.
``(6) Notice to taxpayer.--Not later than 15 days after the
date on which the Secretary distributed any payment to an
eligible taxpayer pursuant to this subsection, notice shall
be sent by mail to such taxpayer's last known address. Such
notice shall indicate the method by which such payment was
made, the amount of such payment, and a phone number for the
appropriate point of contact at the Internal Revenue Service
to report any failure to receive such payment.
``(g) Identification Number Requirement.--
``(1) In general.--No credit shall be allowed under
subsection (a) to an eligible individual who does not include
on the return of tax for the taxable year--
``(A) such individual's valid identification number,
``(B) in the case of a joint return, the valid
identification number of such individual's spouse, and
``(C) in the case of any qualifying child taken into
account under subsection (a)(2), the valid identification
number of such qualifying child.
``(2) Valid identification number.--
``(A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the term
`valid identification number' means a social security number
(as such term is defined in section 24(h)(7)).
``(B) Adoption taxpayer identification number.--For
purposes of paragraph (1)(C), in the case of a qualifying
child who is adopted or placed for adoption, the term `valid
identification number' shall include the adoption taxpayer
identification number of such child.
``(3) Special rule for members of the armed forces.--
Paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply in the case where at least 1
spouse was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States
at any time during the taxable year and at least 1 spouse
satisfies paragraph (1)(A).
``(4) Mathematical or clerical error authority.--Any
omission of a correct valid identification number required
under this subsection shall be treated as a mathematical or
clerical error for purposes of applying section 6213(g)(2) to
such omission.
``(h) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such
regulations or other guidance as may be necessary to carry
out the purposes of this section, including any such measures
as are deemed appropriate to avoid allowing multiple credits
or rebates to a taxpayer.''.
(d) Administrative Amendments.--
(1) Definition of deficiency.--Section 6211(b)(4)(A) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting
``6428C,'' after ``6428B,''.
(2) Mathematical or clerical error authority.--Section
6213(g)(2)(L) of such Code is amended by striking ``or
6428A'' and inserting ``6428A, or 6428C''.
(e) Treatment of Possessions.--
(1) Payments to possessions.--
(A) Mirror code possession.--The Secretary of the Treasury
shall pay to each possession of the United States which has a
mirror code tax system amounts equal to the loss (if any) to
that possession by reason of the amendments made by this
section. Such amounts shall be determined by the Secretary of
the Treasury based on information provided by the government
of the respective possession.
(B) Other possessions.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall
pay to each possession of the United States which does not
have a mirror code tax system amounts estimated by the
Secretary of the Treasury as being equal to the aggregate
benefits (if any) that would have been provided to residents
of such possession by reason of the amendments made by this
section if a mirror code tax system had been in effect in
such possession. The preceding sentence shall not apply
unless the respective possession has a plan, which has been
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, under which such
possession will promptly distribute such payments to its
residents.
(2) Coordination with credit allowed against united states
income taxes.--No credit shall be allowed against United
States income taxes under section 6428C of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this section) to any
person--
(A) to whom a credit is allowed against taxes imposed by
the possession by reason of the amendments made by this
section, or
(B) who is eligible for a payment under a plan described in
paragraph (1)(B).
(3) Definitions and special rules.--
(A) Possession of the united states.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term ``possession of the United States''
includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(B) Mirror code tax system.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term ``mirror code tax system'' means, with
respect to any possession of the United States, the income
tax system of such possession if the income tax liability of
the residents of such possession under such system is
determined by reference to the income tax laws of the United
States as if such possession were the United States.
(C) Treatment of payments.--For purposes of section 1324 of
title 31, United States Code, the payments under this
subsection shall be treated in the same manner as a refund
due from a credit provision referred to in subsection (b)(2)
of such section.
(f) Exception From Reduction or Offset.--Any credit or
refund allowed or made to any individual by reason of section
6428C of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this
section) or by reason of subsection (e) of this section shall
not be--
(1) subject to reduction or offset pursuant to section 3716
or 3720A of title 31, United States Code,
(2) subject to reduction or offset pursuant to subsection
(d), (e), or (f) of section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, or
(3) reduced or offset by other assessed Federal taxes that
would otherwise be subject to levy or collection.
(g) Public Awareness Campaign.--The Secretary of the
Treasury (or the Secretary's delegate) shall conduct a public
awareness campaign, in coordination with the Commissioner of
Social Security and the heads of other relevant Federal
agencies, to provide information regarding the availability
of the credit and rebate allowed under section 6428C of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this section),
including information with respect to individuals who may not
have filed a tax return for taxable year 2024 or 2025.
(h) Additional Requirement.--For purposes of any payment
described in paragraph (3)(B) of section 6428C(f) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this Act), any
notice described in paragraph (6) of such section, and any
information provided through the public awareness campaign
described in subsection (g), there shall not be included any
reference to the Executive Office of the President, Donald J.
Trump, or his administration.
(i) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United
States Code, is amended by inserting ``6428C,'' after
``6428B,''.
(2) The table of sections for subchapter B of chapter 65 of
subtitle F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 6428B the
following:
``Sec. 6428C. Working families refund.''.
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