I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2480
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce estate and gift 
tax rates to 30 percent, to increase the exclusion equivalent of the 
unified credit to $10,000,000, and to increase the annual gift tax exclu-
sion to $50,000. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2003
Mr. LEACH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce 
estate and gift tax rates to 30 percent, to increase the 
exclusion equivalent of the unified credit to $10,000,000, 
and to increase the annual gift tax exclusion to $50,000.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ESTATE AND GIFT TAX RATES REDUCED TO 30 
PERCENT. 
(a) ESTATE TAX.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2001 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to estate tax) is 
amended by striking subsections (b) and (c) and by 
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inserting after subsection (a) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b) COMPUTATION OF TAX.—The tax imposed by 
this section shall be the amount equal to the excess (if 
any) of—
‘‘(1) 30 percent of the sum of—
‘‘(A) the amount of the taxable estate, and 
‘‘(B) the amount of the adjusted taxable 
gifts, over 
‘‘(2) the aggregate amount of tax paid under 
chapter 12 with respect to gifts made by the dece-
dent after December 31, 1976. 
For purposes of paragraph (1)(B), the term ‘adjusted tax-
able gifts’ means the total amount of the taxable gifts 
(within the meaning of section 2503) made by the dece-
dent after December 31, 1976, other than gifts which are 
includible in the gross estate of the decedent.’’
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) Subsection (b) of section 2101 of such 
Code is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) COMPUTATION OF TAX.—The tax imposed by 
this section shall be the amount equal to the excess (if 
any) of—
‘‘(1) 30 percent of the sum of—
‘‘(A) the amount of the taxable estate, and 
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‘‘(B) the amount of the adjusted taxable 
gifts, over 
‘‘(2) the aggregate amount of tax paid under 
chapter 12 with respect to gifts made by the dece-
dent after December 31, 1976.’’
(B) Subsection (c) of section 2102 of such 
Code is amended—
(i) by striking ‘‘$13,000’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘$20,000’’, and 
‘‘(ii) by striking ‘‘$46,800’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$52,500’’. 
(b) GIFT TAX.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2502 of such Code 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 2502. RATE OF TAX. 
‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—The tax imposed by section 
2501 for each calendar year shall be an amount equal to 
30 percent of the sum of the taxable gifts for such cal-
endar year. 
‘‘(b) TAX TO BE PAID BY DONOR.—The tax imposed 
by section 2501 shall be paid by the donor.’’
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) Subchapter A of chapter 12 of such 
Code is amended by striking section 2504. 
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(B) The table of sections for such sub-
chapter is amended by striking the item relat-
ing to section 2504. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to estates of decedents dying, and 
gifts made, after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 2. UNIFIED CREDIT INCREASED TO EQUIVALENT OF 
$10,000,000 EXCLUSION; INFLATION ADJUST-
MENT OF UNIFIED CREDIT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 2010 of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to applicable 
credit amount) is amended by striking all that follows 
‘‘were the applicable exclusion amount’’ and inserting ‘‘. 
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the applicable ex-
clusion amount is $10,000,000.’’
(b) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.—Section 2010 of such 
Code is amended by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e) and by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(d) COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT.—In the case of 
any decedent dying, and gift made, in a calendar year 
after 2003, the $10,000,000 amount set forth in sub-
section (c) shall be increased by an amount equal to—
‘‘(1) $10,000,000, multiplied by 
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‘‘(2) the cost-of-living adjustment determined 
under section 1(f)(3) for such calendar year by sub-
stituting ‘calendar year 2002’ for ‘calendar year 
1992’ in subparagraph (B) thereof. 
If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence 
is not a multiple of $10,000, such amount shall be round-
ed to the nearest multiple of $10,000.’’
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subparagraph (A) 
of section 2057(a)(3) of such Code is amended by striking 
‘‘$625,000’’ and inserting ‘‘the excess of the applicable ex-
clusion amount (determined without regard to this para-
graph) over $675,000’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to estates of decedents dying, and 
gifts made, after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. ANNUAL GIFT TAX EXCLUSION INCREASED TO 
$50,000. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (b) of section 2503 of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to exclusion 
from gifts) is amended by striking ‘‘$10,000’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘$50,000’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (2) of 
section 2503(b) of such Code is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘1998’’ and inserting ‘‘2003’’, 
and 
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(2) by striking ‘‘1997’’ and inserting ‘‘2002’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to gifts made after December 31, 
2002.
Æ
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