CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
105th Congress (1997)

LEGISLATION SUPPORTS CHARITABLE GIVING (10/6/97)

Legislation has been introduced in Congress--"The Charitable Giving Relief Act (HR 2499)--which would improve fairness in the tax code for non-itemizers who give generously by allowing them to deduct contributions to charities.

BACKGROUND
The Charitable Giving Relief Act was introduced by a bi-partisan group of House members: Philip Crane (R-IL), Wally Herger (R-CA, William Coyne (D-PA) and Karen Thurman (D-FL). All four are members of the Ways and Means Committee, the committee to which the bill was sent. The legislation will permit the 7 out of 10 taxpayers who do not itemize their taxes the opportunity to deduct their charitable contributions if they give generously. House leaders have indicated their intention to push major tax legislation again next year, so now is the time to start building the support for this legislation.

The Charitable Giving Relief Act would allow non-itemizers to deduct 50 percent of their annual charitable contributions totaling over $500 each year. According to research by Price Waterhouse, the legislation would stimulate increased charitable giving by approximately $2.7 billion per year. It is clear that people do not contribute to charities only because they receive a tax deduction; they give because it is the right thing to do. However, having made the decision to make a charitable donation, the amount they give is greatly influenced by the charitable deduction.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Write to your representative and urge him or her to cosponsor HR 2499. See the sample letter below.

The mailing address is:

The Honorable --
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Or email your Representative at: The U. S. House of Representatives.

For more information on this issue, contact the Public Policy Office via e-mail at publicpolicy@ncadd.org.

Sample Letter