To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate that part or all of any income tax refund be paid over for use in medical research conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

March 1, 2005

Mr. BILIRAKIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate that part or all of any income tax refund be paid over for use in medical research conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Veterans Medical Research Assistance Voluntary Option Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF INCOME TAX OVERPAYMENTS TO FUND MEDICAL RESEARCH.

(a) General Rule- Subchapter A of chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to returns and records) is amended by adding at the end the following new part:

`PART IX--DESIGNATION OF INCOME TAX OVERPAYMENTS TO FUND MEDICAL RESEARCH

`Sec. 6097. Designation of income tax overpayments.

`SEC. 6097. DESIGNATION OF INCOME TAX OVERPAYMENTS.

`(a) General Rule- Every taxpayer who makes a return of the tax imposed by subtitle A for any taxable year may designate that a specified portion (not less than $1) of any overpayment of tax for such taxable year shall be used for medical research conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

`(b) Manner and Time of Designation- Any designation under subsection (a) for any taxable year shall be made--

`(1) at the time of filing the return of the tax imposed by subtitle A for such taxable year, and

`(2) in such manner as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe, except that such designation shall be made either on the first page of the return or on the page bearing the taxpayer's signature.

`(c) Treatment of Amounts Designated- For purposes of this title, the amount designated by any taxpayer under subsection (a)--

`(1) shall be treated as being refunded to such taxpayer as of the last date prescribed for filing the return of tax imposed by subtitle A (determined without regard to extensions) or, if later, the date the return is filed, and

`(2) shall be treated as a contribution made by such taxpayer on such date to the United States.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of parts for subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new item:

`Part IX. Designation of income tax overpayments to fund medical research'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2004.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH GIFT FUND.

(a) In General- Chapter 83 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 8306. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research Gift Fund

`(a) There is established in the Treasury of the United States an account to be known as the `Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research Gift Fund' (in this section referred to as the `Fund'), consisting of such amounts as may be transferred or credited to the account under this section.

`(b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall, from time to time, transfer to the Fund the amounts designated under section 6097 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Amounts that otherwise would be appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs may not be offset by the amount of such transfers to the Fund.

`(c) Amounts in the Fund shall be available, as provided in appropriations Acts, for purposes of medical research conducted through the Veterans Health Administration.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`8306. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research Gift Fund.'.

END