Skip to main content
S 272 108th Congress Senate

CARE Act of 2003

Official title: A bill to provide incentives for charitable contributions by individuals and businesses, to improve the public disclosure of activities of exempt organizations… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to provide incentives for charitable contributions by individuals and businesses, to improve the public disclosure of activities of exempt organizations, and to enhance the ability of low income Americans to gain financial security by building assets, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 30, 2003 See on congress.gov
Taxation Agriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArt
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
ArtsArts, Culture, ReligionAssociations, institutions, etc.Authors and authorshipBlock grantsBooksBusiness recordsCapital gains taxCharitable contributionsCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCommutingComputersConfidential communicationsCongressCongressional reporting requirementsConservation of natural resourcesCopyrightCorporation taxesDebtEducationExcise taxFarmersFederal-state relationsFinance and Financial SectorFishesFood industryFoundationsGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicityHealthHigher educationHospitalsIncome taxIndividual retirement accountsIntellectual propertyInterestInternetLabor and EmploymentLand transfersLawLiteratureLobbyingMusicPovertyPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesRange managementReal propertyReligionRight of privacySaving and investmentScholarshipsScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareStocksTax administrationTax deductionsTax exemptionTax penaltiesTax preparersTax returnsTax-exempt organizationsTerrorismTransportation and Public WorksTrusts and trusteesUnrelated business income taxValuationVolunteer workersWar reliefWater Resources DevelopmentWater conservationWater rightsWeb sitesWildlife
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 30, 2003
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Jan 30, 2003
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1835-1836)
Jan 30, 2003
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action January 30, 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Charity Aid, Recovery, and Empowerment Act of 2003 or the CARE Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to charitable giving, charitable organizations, and social services to, among other things: (1) allow a deduction for a portion of charitable contributions to individuals who do not itemize; (2) allow tax-free distributions from individual retirement accounts for charitable purposes; (3) allow for the exclusion of 25 percent of gain on sales or exchanges of land or water interests to eligible entities for conservation purposes; (4) exclude mileage reimbursements to charitable volunteers from gross income; (5) increase oversight of tax-exempt organizations; (6) suspend the tax-exempt status of terrorist organizations; (7) modify the excise tax on unrelated business taxable income of charitable remainder trusts; (8) repeal the grassroots expenditure limit for charitable organizations; (9) modify the definition of convention or association of churches to state that no such grouping shall fail to qualify merely because individuals are members or because individuals have voting rights in such organization; (10) count certain payments made by charitable organizations to victims in the war against terrorism as related to the purpose or function constituting the basis for such organizations' exemptions; (11) restore funds for the Social Services Block Grant; (12) restore authority to transfer up to ten percent of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families funds to the Social Services Block Grant.

Savings for Working Families Act of 2003 - States as a purpose of this Act to provide for the establishment of individual development account programs that will provide individuals and families with limited means an opportunity to accumulate assets and to enter the financial mainstream. Provides procedures for opening and maintaining such an account and qualifying for matching funds.

Authorizes appropriations for the: (1) Savings for Working Families Act of 2003; and (2) administration of exempt organizations by the Internal Revenue Service.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to and enter into cooperative agreements to support nonprofit community-based organizations. Authorizes appropriations.

Prohibits requiring a nongovernmental social service organization to: (1) remove religious art, icons, or scripture; (2) alter its charter; or (3) alter religious qualifications for board membership.

Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to provide for maternity group homes and evaluation of such homes.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 272: CARE Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-272/
MLA
"S. 272: CARE Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-272/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 272, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-272/.
Markdown link
[S. 272: CARE Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-272/)
Report a problem