House plans special tax write-off for Haiti giving

A bipartisan group of lawmakers will introduce a bill allowing taxpayers to write off donations to relief efforts in Haiti on their 2009 taxes.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he will file legislation either later today or early next week allowing write-offs for monetary donations to Haiti, where an earthquake has devastated scores of people.

During remarks at the conclusion of House Democrats' retreat this week, Clyburn thanked President Barack Obama for his administration's leadership on Haiti.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers will introduce a bill allowing taxpayers to write off donations to relief efforts in Haiti on their 2009 taxes.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he will file legislation either later today or early next week allowing write-offs for monetary donations to Haiti, where an earthquake has devastated scores or people.

During remarks at the conclusion of House Democrats' retreat this week, Clyburn thanked President Barack Obama for his administration's leadership on Haiti.

"I think all of us have been really overjoyed by the response by President Obama on behalf of the American people," Clyburn said.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she had designated Clyburn to coordinate the congressional response to the disaster in Haiti, which he said offered the country an opportunity to "leap over" its past troubles and enjoy a "new, fresh start."

Clyburn said he was partnering with Republicans on the tax bill, too. The whip said he'd been in consultations with Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), as well as Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Dave Camp (R-Mich.).