Meal Deduction Bill Clears House Panel

A measure to speed the return of the 80% tax deduction for truckers’ meals cleared a hurdle last week as the Senate Finance Committee approved a $792 billion tax-cut bill.

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(Note: To return to this story, click the "Back" button on your browser.)The legislation, which cleared the committee July 21, includes a provision advancing by one year the date in which truck drivers would be able to claim a higher tax deduction for meals eaten while on the road.

Truckers saw their meals tax deduction cut to 50% in 1993. In 1997, Congress agreed to increase the deduction gradually to 80% by 2008.

Sen. Bill Roth (R-Del.), chairman of the Finance Committee, included in the tax-cut bill a change that would speed implementation of the full 80% deduction to 2007.

The change was requested by Sen. Connie Mack, the Republican sponsor of legislation to increase the meals deductibility to 80% immediately. Mack of Florida was backed by American Trucking Associations, state trucking associations and trucking executives, who lobbied members of the finance committee to speed the increased deduction (7-19, p. 1).

“We brought to bear the full power of the ATA Federation,” James Whittinghill, senior vice president at ATA. “Senator Mack personally urged Chairman Roth to give assistance to the trucking industry.”

For the full story, see the July 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.