Skip to main content
S 476 108th Congress Senate

CARE Act of 2003

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

Official title: An original 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: February 27, 2003 Introduced by: Grassley, Chuck Republican · Iowa See on congress.gov
Taxation Agriculture and FoodAlaskaAnimalsArmed Forces and National Security
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
ArtArtsArts, Culture, ReligionAssociations, institutions, etc.Authors and authorshipBlock grantsBooksBusiness recordsCapital gains taxCharitable contributionsCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCommutingComputersConfidential communicationsCongressCongressional reporting requirementsConservation of natural resourcesCopyrightCorporation taxesDebtDepartment of the TreasuryEducationExcise taxFarmersFederal-state relationsFinance and Financial SectorFishesFishingFishing boatsFood industryForeign tax creditFoundationsGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicityHealthHigher educationHospitalsHuntingIncome taxIndividual retirement accountsIntellectual propertyInterestInternational corporationsInternetLabor and EmploymentLand transfersLawLiteratureLobbyingMarine and coastal resources, fisheriesMusicPovertyPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesRange managementReal propertyReligionRight of privacySaving and investmentScholarshipsScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareStocksSubsidiary corporationsTax administrationTax consultantsTax deductionsTax evasionTax exemptionTax penaltiesTax planningTax preparersTax returnsTax sheltersTax-exempt organizationsTerrorismTransportation and Public WorksTrusts and trusteesUnrelated business income taxValuationVolunteer workersWar reliefWater Resources DevelopmentWater conservationWater rightsWeb sitesWhalingWildlife
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
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 9 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 9, 2003
Ordered held at desk.
Apr 9, 2003
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 95 - 5. Record Vote Number: 128. (text as passed Senate: CR S5020-5043)
Apr 9, 2003
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 95 - 5. Record Vote Number: 128.(text as passed Senate: CR S5020-5043)
Apr 9, 2003
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S5007-5044)
Apr 8, 2003
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4930-4949)
Feb 27, 2003
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 22.
Feb 27, 2003
Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Grassley. With written report No. 108-11.
Feb 27, 2003
Introduced in Senate
Feb 5, 2003
Committee on Finance ordered to be reported an original measure.
 Amendments to this bill 2

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

2 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 527 – To exclude 25 percent of gain on sales or exchanges of land or water interests to any nonprofit entity for a… Agreed to Apr 9, 2003
SAMDT 526 Grassley, Chuck To provide a manager's amendment. Agreed to Apr 8, 2003
 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 April 9, 2003

Ordered held at desk.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
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; (13) extend the enhanced inventory deduction to public schools; (14) suspend the tax-exempt status of terrorist organizations; and (15) provide a charitable deduction for certain expenses related to Native Alaskan subsistence whaling.

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.

Sets forth provisions regarding tax shelters, including: (1) defining "economic substance" for purposes of the economic substance doctrine; (2) establishing penalties for failure to disclose reportable transactions, understatements with respect to such transactions, and noneconomic substance transaction understatements; (3) modifying penalties with respect to underpayments, registering tax shelters, maintenance of investor lists, failure to report interests in foreign financial accounts, frivolous tax submissions, the promotion of abusive tax shelters, and individuals practicing before the Department of the Treasury; and (4) further regulation of tax preparers and advisers.

Require a corporate tax return to be signed by its chief executive officer. Exempts a regulated investment company from such requirement.

 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. 476: CARE Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-476/
MLA
"S. 476: CARE Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-476/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 476, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-476/.
Markdown link
[S. 476: CARE Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-476/)
Report a problem