II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1676 

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for taxpayers 

making donations with their returns of income tax to the Federal Government to pay down the public debt. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 6, 2011 

Mr. THUNE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide 

for taxpayers making donations with their returns of 

income tax to the Federal Government to pay down 

the public debt. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Buffett Rule Act of 

5 2011’’. 


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•S 1676 IS

1 SEC. 2. DONATION TO PAY DOWN NATIONAL DEBT. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter A of chapter 61 of the 

3 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at 

4 the end the following new part: 

5 ‘‘PART IX—DONATIONS TO PAY DOWN NATIONAL 

6 DEBT 

‘‘Sec. 6097. Donation to pay down national debt. 

7 ‘‘SEC. 6097. DONATION TO PAY DOWN NATIONAL DEBT. 

8 ‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—Every taxpayer who makes a 

9 return of the tax imposed by subtitle A for any taxable 

10 year may donate an amount (not less than $1), in addition 

11 to any payment of tax for such taxable year, which shall 

12 be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury. 

13 ‘‘(b) MANNER AND TIME OF DESIGNATION.—Any do14 nation under subsection (a) for any taxable year— 

15 ‘‘(1) shall be made at the time of filing the re16 turn of the tax imposed by subtitle A for such tax17 able year and in such manner as the Secretary may 

18 by regulation prescribe, except that— 

19 ‘‘(A) the designation for such donation 

20 shall be either on the first page of the return 

21 or on the page bearing the taxpayer’s signature, 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(B) the designation shall be by a box 

24 added to the return, and the text beside the box 

25 shall provide: 


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•S 1676 IS

‘‘By checking here, I signify that in addition to my tax liability, I would like to 

donate the included payment to be used exclusively for the purpose of paying 

down the national debt.’’, 

1 and 

2 ‘‘(2) shall be accompanied by a payment of the 

3 amount so designated. 

4 ‘‘(c) TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS DONATED.—For pur5 poses of this title, the amount donated by any taxpayer 

6 under subsection (a) shall be treated as a contribution 

7 made by such taxpayer to the United States on the last 

8 date prescribed for filing the return of tax imposed by sub9 title A (determined without regard to extensions) or, if 

10 later, the date the return is filed. 

11 ‘‘(d) TRANSFERS TO ACCOUNT TO REDUCE PUBLIC

12 DEBT.—The Secretary shall, from time to time, transfer 

13 to the special account established by section 3113(d) of 

14 title 31, United States Code, amounts equal to the 

15 amounts donated under this section.’’. 

16 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of parts for 

17 subchapter A of such chapter is amended by adding at 

18 the end the following new item: 

‘‘PART IX. DONATIONS TO PAY DOWN NATIONAL DEBT’’. 

19 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

20 this section shall apply to returns for taxable years ending 

21 after December 31, 2010. 

Æ 


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