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CIVIC HERALD
HR 33 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the United States.

In plain language: This legislation reduces US tax rates on investment income and wages earned by Taiwanese residents and companies, cutting standard withholding taxes on dividends, interest, and royalties from 30 percent down to 10 or 15 percent. To take effect, the US Treasury must first confirm that Taiwan provides identical tax reductions to American businesses and workers operating in Taiwan. The bill also authorizes the President to negotiate a comprehensive double-taxation agreement with Taiwan, which would require final approval from Congress.

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affectedThe text applies broadly to qualified individual and corporate residents of Taiwan engaging in U.S. economic activity, but specifies no population count.
Fiscal magnitudeno CBO estimate published
Reach53provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Aid & alliances+30

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Who it helps

  • Qualified residents and corporations of TaiwanReceives reduced U.S. withholding tax rates (lowered from 30 percent to 10 or 15 percent) on U.S.-sourced interest, dividends, and royalties, lower branch profits taxes, and limits on U.S. tax liability to income effectively connected with a permanent establishment (Sec. 102(a)).provisional
  • Taiwanese temporary workers, entertainers, and athletesReceives exemptions from U.S. income and withholding taxes for qualified wages paid by non-U.S. employers and up to $30,000 in U.S. earnings for entertainers and athletes (Sec. 102(a)).provisional
  • U.S. persons and businesses operating in TaiwanReceives reciprocal tax benefits in Taiwan, as the bill conditions U.S. double-tax relief on the Department of the Treasury confirming that Taiwan extends reciprocal tax benefits to U.S. persons (Sec. 102(a)(894A)(e)(1)).provisional

Who it burdens

  • U.S. withholding agents and employersMust follow new reporting, record-keeping, and verification rules established by Treasury to determine whether payees qualify for reduced withholding tax rates or exemptions (Sec. 102(a)(894A)(f)(1)(C)-(D)).provisional
  • Department of the TreasuryTasked with issuing administrative guidance and anti-abuse rules, evaluating Taiwan's reciprocity, consulting with and briefing congressional committees, publishing contemplated agreements, and submitting technical explanations to Congress (Sec. 102(a)(894A)(e)-(f), Sec. 204–206).provisional

Who opposes it

  • Entities owned or controlled by foreign countries of concernDisqualified from being treated as qualifying intermediate owners and excluded from claiming active trade or business tax relief under anti-avoidance rules (Sec. 102(a)(894A)(c)(2)(E), (c)(4)(B)(iii)).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

  1. Lowers the U.S. withholding tax rate on interest, royalties, and dividends received by qualified residents of Taiwan from 30 percent to 10 percent (or 15 percent for certain dividends).

    Sec. 102(a)provisional
  2. Exempts wages earned by Taiwanese residents working temporarily in the United States from U.S. income and withholding taxes if paid by non-U.S. employers, excluding certain government, student, or entertainer wages.

    Sec. 102(a)provisional
  3. Limits U.S. income taxation of Taiwanese residents and corporations doing business in the United States to profits effectively connected with a fixed place of business (permanent establishment) in the United States.

    Sec. 102(a)provisional
  4. Conditions U.S. tax relief benefits on the Department of the Treasury confirming that Taiwan provides reciprocal tax benefits to U.S. persons.

    Sec. 102(a)provisional
  5. Authorizes the President to negotiate and enter into a formal bilateral tax agreement with Taiwan, which can only take effect after approval and implementation by an act of Congress and confirmation of Taiwan's approval.

    Sec. 203, 205, 207provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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Timeline

How it moved.

  1. Jan 16, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  2. Jan 15, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Jan 15, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 423 - 1 (Roll no. 15). (text: CR H160-164)
  4. Jan 15, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 423 - 1 (Roll no. 15). (text: CR H160-164)
  5. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in House
  6. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 9 days ago

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