Bipartisan House leaders propose faster tax breaks for donors to Haiti quake victims

Lawmakers want faster tax breaks for Haiti gifts

WASHINGTON — Americans who make donations for Haitian earthquake victims would be able to write off charitable deductions from their 2009 taxes under a bill unveiled Friday by a bipartisan group of House and Senate leaders.

The lawmakers said Friday they will introduce a bill allowing 2009 tax deductions for donations made by the end of February. Under current law, donors would have to wait until they file their 2010 returns next spring to take the deductions.

Congress could act on the bill as early as next week, the lawmakers said in a statement. A similar law was enacted in 2005 for donations to victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami that happened in December 2004.

“This measure provides an immediate benefit for those who have already given and incentive for those who are considering a charitable contribution,” said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.

The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday’s earthquake.

The tax bill is sponsored by the top Democrats and Republicans on the tax-writing committees in the House and Senate, giving it a good chance for enactment. In addition to Rangel, the House bill is also sponsored by Democrat James Clyburn of South Carolina and Republicans Dave Camp of Michigan and Eric Cantor of Virginia. Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek of Florida announced similar legislation.

In the Senate, the bill is sponsored by Democrat Max Baucus of Montana, chairman of the Finance Committee, and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the committee.