The first bill Grassley has co-sponsored is the Teachers' Professional Development Act. The bill, which was introduced by Senator Susan Collins of Maine, would give tax deductibility to all professional development expenses which teachers incur. Current law only allows teachers to deduct expenses related to professional development which exceed two percent of their income.
"Congress should remove barriers that stand in the way of teachers investing in their own professional development as part of their commitment to our students. This bill is a positive step in the effort to provide our children with the most well-trained educators for our children," said Grassley.
Grassley also announced his support for a bill introduced by Senator Paul Coverdell of Georgia called The Teacher Deduction for Incidental Expenses Act. The bill would eliminate the two percent floor on miscellaneous deductions for the instruction-related expenses teachers incur. It would allow teachers to deduct $250 a year for these expenses.
"We should all commend the teachers who voluntarily purchase instructional materials so they can serve their students better. These teachers deserve a pat on the back, not a punch in the pocketbook," said Grassley. "We should make passage of these pro-teacher initiatives a top priority for this Congress."
Grassley has urged the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to include these provisions in the tax package he will be formulating in the near future. Grassley serves as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee.