S. 3593: FORWARD Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-05-04 · Taxation · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-05-04 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] · 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

FORWARD Act

Plain summary

Furthering Our Recovery With American Research & Development Act or the FORWARD Act This bill makes several changes to the income tax credit for business expenses for increasing research activities. Specifically, the bill expands eligibility for the credit by increasing the maximum amount of gross receipts of an entity for the taxable year and using an eight-year (rather than five-year) period in the calculation of those amounts; removes the business credit carryforward from calculation of the payroll tax credit portion of the credit; includes among qualified research expenses wages paid in connection with research activity training expenses; and increases the credit rate for expenses incurred in certain collaborative research activities (i.e., conducted with higher education institutions, tax-exempt scientific research organizations, or charitable grant organizations) and qualified domestic manufacturers. The bill appropriates to the Social Security trust funds amounts equal to the reduction in revenues from payroll taxes by reason of this bill. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shall develop partnership agreements to provide for development of basic training relating to federal tax credits benefitting small business concerns and startups, especially credits for research and experimentation, and informational materials relating to such credits, including IRS guidance documents. Small business development centers shall provide informational materials, education, and basic training to small business concerns relating to federal tax credits, including those available to (1) businesses generally; and (2) small business concerns and startups specifically, especially credits for research and experimentation.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

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

FORWARD 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. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Todd Young (R-IN), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Steve Daines (R-MT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] reported raising $5.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

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-116s3593.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3593 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116