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Charitable Giving

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 28, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Budget and Spending

(Mr. BILIRAKIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the unwise proposal made by the White House earlier this year to lower the tax deduction for charitable giving. Independent studies have concluded this proposal could result in a drop of as much as $4 billion in charitable donations.

Charities in the Tampa Bay area have recently indicated the threat of this proposal becoming law has already contributed to a sharp decline in donations, forcing some of them to shut their doors down.

Every year, Americans give hundreds of billions of dollars to charity. In turn, they provide funding to shelters, food banks, health care clinics, and a host of other charitable programs which benefit the needy. During this recession, their services are needed more than ever. Limiting charitable contributions is the wrong course of action and will end up hurting those who need it the most, particularly as we approach the holidays.


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