To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State and local sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.159 through Congress

H.R.159 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseJan 6, 2009IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.159.

Related Senate bill: S.333 A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 6, 2009

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers a deduction from gross income for: (1) interest paid on indebtedness (up to $49,500) incurred after November 12, 2008, and before January 1, 2010, for the purchase of a motor vehicle (i.e., passenger automobile or light truck) with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 8,500 pounds; and (2) state and local sales and excise taxes imposed on the purchase of such a motor vehicle.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-8] · D–NJ

Committees

Ways and Means Committee

39 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jan 6, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jan 6, 2009
Introduced in House
Jan 6, 2009
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jan 6, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 333 · A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.159, 111th Congress: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State and local sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/159

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-01-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr159/BILLS-111hr159ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T20:22:42Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.159 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.159, 111th Congress: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State and local sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/159

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-01-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr159/BILLS-111hr159ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T20:22:42Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.159 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.159 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.159, 111th Congress: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State and local sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/159

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-01-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr159/BILLS-111hr159ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T20:22:42Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.159 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.159 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.159, 111th Congress: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an above-the-line deduction against individual income tax for interest on indebtedness and for State and local sales and excise taxes with respect to the purchase of certain motor vehicles.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/159

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-01-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr159/BILLS-111hr159ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T20:22:42Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.159 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.