[House Report 106-795] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 106th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106-795 ====================================================================== PROVIDING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4865, THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2000 _______ July 26, 2000.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Sessions, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H. Res. 564] The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House Resolution 564, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to the House with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION The resolution provides for the consideration in the House of H.R. 4865, the Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2000, under a modified closed rule. The rule provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means. The rule waives all points of order against the bill and against its consideration. The rule provides that the amendment recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted upon adoption of the resolution. The rule further provides for consideration of the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in this report, if offered by Representative Pomeroy or his designee, which shall be considered as read and shall be separately debatable for one hour equally divided between the proponent and an opponent. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment printed in this report. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. The waiver of all points of order against the bill and against its consideration includes a waiver of clause 4 of rule XIII (requiring a three-day availability of the committee report) because even though the report was filed on Monday, July 24, it was not made available until Wednesday, July 26, and may be considered on the floor as early as Thursday, July 27. The waiver of all points of order also includes a waiver of clause 4 of rule XXI (prohibiting appropriations in legislative bills) because section 3(a) of the bill appropriates revenue to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund. The waiver of all points of order against the amendment printed in this report also includes a waiver of clause 4 of rule XXI because section 3(a) of the amendment is identical to the section 3(a) of the bill. Summary of Amendment Made in Order Under the Rule Pomeroy/Green (TX)/Capuano--Increases the income level at which the 85% tax on Social Security benefits would apply from $44,000 on a joint return to $100,000 and from $32,000 on a single return to $80,000. The tax reductions would be subject to annual certifications by the Secretary of the Treasury that there are sufficient surpluses outside the Social Security and Medicare programs to make the Medicare Trust Fund whole. TEXT OF AMENDMENT MADE IN ORDER UNDER THE RULE An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Pomeroy of North Dakota, or a Designee Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2000''. SEC. 2. INCREASE IN ADJUSTED BASE AMOUNT CONTINGENT ON AVAILABILITY OF BUDGET SURPLUSES. (a) In General.--Section 86 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to social security and tier 1 railroad retirement benefits) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(g) Increase in Adjusted Base Amount Contingent on Availability of Budget Surpluses.-- ``(1) In general.--For any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2000, subsection (c)(2) shall be applied-- ``(A) by substituting `$80,000' for `$34,000' in subparagraph (A) thereof, and ``(B) by substituting `$100,000' for `$44,000' in subparagraph (B) thereof. ``(2) Contingency.-- ``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall apply to taxable years beginning in any calendar year only if the Secretary of the Treasury certifies (before the close of such calendar year) that the condition specified in subparagraph (B) is met with respect to such calendar year. ``(B) Condition.--The condition specified in this subparagraph is met for any calendar year if the projected on-budget surplus for the fiscal year beginning in such calendar year (determined by excluding the receipts and disbursements of part A of the medicare program) is greater than the projected appropriations that would be required by section 3 of the Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2000 for such fiscal year if paragraph (1) had been in effect for all taxable years after 2000.''. (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2000. SEC. 3. MAINTENANCE OF TRANSFERS TO HOSPITAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND. (a) In General.--There are hereby appropriated to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund established under section 1817 of the Social Security Act amounts equal to the reduction in revenues to the Treasury by reason of the enactment of this Act. Amounts appropriated by the preceding sentence shall be transferred from the general fund at such times and in such manner as to replicate to the extent possible the transfers which would have occurred to such Trust Fund had this Act not been enacted. (b) Reports.--The Secretary of the Treasury or the Secretary's delegate shall annually report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate the amounts and timing of the transfers under this section.