US Congress House Bill 3977 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: Introduced on November 5 2015 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-11-13 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Trash Reduction Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require retailers to pay a $0.10 excise tax on each carryout bag provided to a consumer. A "carryout bag" means a bag of any material, commonly plastic or kraft paper, which is provided to a consumer at the point of sale to carry or cover purchases, merchandise, or other items. Reusable bags and certain other bags used for specified purposes are exempt from such tax. The bill allows retailers who establish a qualified plastic carryout bag recycling program a rebate for each recyclable bag used by the retailer. The bill establishes the Carryout Bag Trust Fund to hold tax revenues generated by this Act and directs the Department of the Treasury to make payments from such Trust Fund for the qualified plastic carryout bag recycling program and to the Land and Water Conservation Fund established by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. The Government Accountability Office must study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of this Act in reducing the use of carryout bags and encouraging recycling of such bags.

Trash Reduction Act of 2015

Rep. Alan Lowenthal [D-CA]	Rep. Don Beyer [D-VA]	Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR]	Rep. Sam Farr [D-CA]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA]	Rep. Ted Lieu [D-CA]	Rep. Michael Honda [D-CA]	Rep. Jared Huffman [D-CA]
Rep. Chellie Pingree [D-ME]	Rep. Eleanor Norton [D-DC]	Rep. Matthew Cartwright [D-PA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-11-13	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
2015-11-13	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
2015-11-05	House	Referred to House Natural Resources
2015-11-05	House	Referred to House Ways and Means
2015-11-05	House	Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2015-11-05	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3977/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr3977/BILLS-114hr3977ih.pdf