Bills in Congress

Following is a summary of bills introduced in Congress that are of interest to non-profit organizations. Copies of bills may be obtained from members of the House of Representatives (Washington 20515) or from senators (Washington 20510). They may also be obtained through the Internet. The World-Wide Web address is http://thomas.loc.gov.

SENATE

Charitable donations. S 1734 would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow people age 591/2 or older to direct money from their individual retirement accounts to charity and avoid paying income tax on those dollars. By Senator Hutchison (R-Texas).

Charitable donations. S 1994 would permit states to offer taxpayers a credit of up to $250 on their state income taxes for gifts to charities that work to reduce or prevent poverty. States could use up to 50 per cent of the federal money they receive through welfare block grants to offset the cost of the tax credits, and states would be given broad discretion on how the tax incentives were structured. By Senator Coats (R-Ind.) and four others.

Food stamps. S 1763 would restore food-stamp benefits for most immigrants that were cut as part of the 1996 overhaul of federal welfare programs. By Senator Wellstone (D-Minn.).

Medical research. S 1885 would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow companies to take a “medical innovation” tax credit, which would amount to a 20-per-cent write-off of the amount they spend to finance research at non-profit medical schools and research hospitals for clinical trials and other expenses. By Senator D’Amato (R-N.Y.) and four others.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Community development. HR 3622 would amend the Social Security Act to authorize spending for 20 new empowerment zones, and for other purposes. By Representative Rangel (D-N.Y.).

Diabetes research. HR 3517 would allow people to contribute to diabetes research by purchasing special-issue postage stamps that cost up to 25-per-cent more than regular stamps; the additional amount collected by the U.S. Postal Service would be given to the National Institutes of Health. By Representative Fox (R-Pa.).

Disaster relief. HR 3728 would amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and other laws to give primary responsibility for disaster relief to the states. By Representative Obey (D-Wis.).

Food banks. HR 3615 would amend the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to increase — from $100-million to $200-million — the spending ceiling on the amount Congress is allowed to give to food banks and other “emergency feeding organizations” to purchase and distribute food and other commodities. By Representative Hall (D-Ohio) and 21 others.

Forest preservation. HR 3621 would eliminate the National Forest Foundation, which distributes money for forest-preservation efforts. By Representative Menendez (D-N.J.) and three others.

Violence prevention. HR 3607 would authorize the federal government to award grants to charities that offer counseling, job training, and other services that seek to prevent children and teen-agers from committing violence. By Representatives Conyers (D-Mich.) and Hyde (R-Ill.).

Volunteerism. HR 3561 would extend the lives of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 for five years. By Representative Andrews (D-N.J.) and 52 others.