S. 193: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-23 · Taxation · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Act

Plain summary

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Act This bill directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Matching Grant Program (VITA grant program) for the development, expansion, or continuation of volunteer tax preparation programs to assist low-income taxpayers and members of underserved populations. The program must be administered in the same manner as the Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance matching grants demonstration program established under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008. The bill establishes the National Center to Promote Quality, Excellence, and Evaluation in Volunteer Income Tax Assistance to: promote the adoption of a universally accessible volunteer training platform for the preparation of federal income tax returns, provide technical assistance to tax return preparation program managers, identify and disseminate best practices related to tax site management, support outreach and marketing efforts, and evaluate programs and activities funded under this bill. The IRS must: (1) designate, through a competitive process, a lead national organization to carry out the purposes of the center; and (2) provide an annual grant to the organization. The lead national organization may provide subgrants to organizations to facilitate specialized technical assistance in reaching one or more underserved populations. The bill amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 and the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to authorize several national service programs to provide tax preparation assistance for low-income and older individuals and families.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s193.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s193 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115