CALL TO ACTION

Please contact Reps. Sam Johnson, Lloyd Doggett, and Kevin Brady immediately and ask them to support section 305 of the Tax Relief Act of 2005.  Sec. 305 would change the language in the Tax Relief Act to allow books to be donated to libraries and schools that were damaged by the hurricanes.  A companion bill in the House currently does not include this provision.  The House and the Senate are meeting this week to negotiate the differences between the two bills, so it is important that we reach the these Texas Congressmen as soon as possible and let them know about the needs of libraries damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Furthermore, if enacted, this change will help promote publishers’ book donations to all libraries.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Representative Lloyd Doggett

The Honorable Lloyd Doggett, House Ways & Means Committee, House of Representatives, 201 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

You can send a letter to Caryn.schenewerk@mail.house.gov and/or 202-225-2947 (ATTN: Caryn Schenewerk) or you can call Caryn Schenewerk, Tax Legislative Assistant, at 202-225-4865

Representative Sam Johnson

The Honorable Sam Johnson, House Ways & Means Committee, House of Representatives, 1211 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

You can send a letter kathleen.black@mail.house.gov and/or 202-225-1485 (ATTN: Kathleen Black); or you can call Kathleen Black, Tax Legislative Assistant, at 202-225-4201

Representative Kevin Brady

The Honorable Kevin Brady, House Ways & Means Committee, House of Representatives, 428 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

To email or fax a letter to Todd.stevens@mail.house.gov and/or 202-225-5524 (ATTN: Todd Stevens). To call Todd Stevens, Tax Legislative Assistant, at 202-225-4901

Talking Points

• Current law provides special tax incentives (enhanced deductions) for charitable giving of property to certain organizations that serve SOLEY the ill, the needy or kids under 18. 
• Thus, gifts of books directly to libraries, universities, and literacy programs are not eligible for the special deduction.
• Fixing this law will help promote the large-scale donations that will be needed by Gulf Coast libraries, school libraries, and literacy programs, as well as by Tulane and other Louisiana universities (FEMA basically covers the replacement of textbooks needed).
• The provision also helps fix the problem in which the IRS assigns a book’s value more attributable to the commercial market rather than its value in the education market, often resulting in values so low that it is not economically feasible for publishers to donate inventory. 
• MOST IMPORTANT IS TO ADD UNIVERSITIES, LIBRARIES, AND LITERACY PROGRAMS TO THE LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH BOOK DONATIONS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ENHANCED DEDUCTIONS.
• ACTION NEEDED:  House Ways & Means Committee needs to accept the Senate language when they meet to negotiate a final tax reconciliation bill during the first week of February.