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An act to continue through May 31, 1981, the existing prohibition on the issuance of fringe benefit regulations, and for other purposes.

Public Law 96-167 · H.R. 5224 · 96th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 29, 1979 · Taxation

Sponsor: Rep. Albert Ullman (D-OR-2)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateMethod not stated
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment)

Extends, through May 31, 1981, the existing prohibition on the issuance of regulations by the Internal Revenue Service on the taxation on fringe benefits.

Extends, through May 31, 1981, the present moratorium on administrative actions by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Revenue Ruling 76-453 with respect to the tax treatment of commuting expenses.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend until January 1, 1981, the date until which a State legislator may qualify for the income tax deduction for living expenses incurred while engaged in legislative business away from his home district.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the payment of interest to an individual whose property is wrongfully seized by the Internal Revenue Service.

Repeals the requirement that an individual who transfers property with a fair market value in excess of $50,000 to a tax-exempt organization must file an informational return detailing such transactions.

Repeals the additional 25 percent tax penalty (jeopardy assessments) for taxpayers who attempt to evade payment of taxes by removing their property from the country or by concealing it.

Repeals provisions which require corporations to file informational returns with respect to stock options granted to their employees.

Conforms the due dates for gift tax and income tax returns. Grants an automatic extension of time for filing gift tax returns when an extension for filing the donor's income tax return is granted.

Extends for one year the exclusion from gross income for amounts received by participants in the Uniformed Services Health Professions Scholarship program and amounts received as National Research Service Awards.

Extends, through December 31, 1982, the election to deduct annually up to $25,000 in capital cost incurred during the taxable year for the removal of architectural and transportation barriers to the handicapped and elderly.

Extends for one year provisions of the Revenue Act of 1978 which set forth criteria for determining whether individuals are employed for purposes of the employment tax. Extends for one year the prohibition of the issuance of regulations by the Internal Revenue Service regarding the employment status of any individual for purposes of the employment tax.

Defers for two years the effective date of the provisions under the Tax Reform Act of 1976 relating to special limitations on net operating loss carryovers.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.

  1. Dec 29, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-167.
  3. Dec 24, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Dec 20, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
  7. Dec 19, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment.
  8. Dec 7, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
  9. Nov 29, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
  10. Oct 10, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
  11. Oct 9, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #532 (347-14).House roll call 532
  12. Sep 20, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
  13. Sep 10, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
  14. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.