U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) on Wednesday offered legislation that would equalize the charitable mileage rate with the business travel rate to ensure volunteer drivers receive increased reimbursements.
“By increasing the mileage rate for volunteer drivers and lessening the burden for them, more people will be donating their time to help their fellow community members,” Rep. Stauber said. “Volunteering is a selfless act, and our volunteers should not be penalized for their service. The least we can do for our volunteers is to give them peace of mind with adequate reimbursement, and that is exactly what this legislation will do.”
Rep. Stauber sponsored the Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act of 2022, H.R. 7432, which would increase the federal tax deduction mileage rate for volunteer drivers from its 14 cents per mile rate, to the IRS’s business rate, which is currently set at 58.5 cents per mile.
“Volunteer drivers play an integral role in our communities across our Eighth Congressional District and the entire state of Minnesota, from delivering meals to expanding access to healthcare for our seniors,” said Rep. Stauber. “Not only do these drivers help remove barriers for community members to access these critical services and necessities more easily, they also take part in life saving actions, such as transporting donated organs to healthcare facilities.”
The National Association of Towns and Townships and the National Council of Nonprofits support H.R. 7432 along with more than 90 groups and organizations across Minnesota, including the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, Helping Hands Outreach, the ARDC/Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, the Minnesota Public Transit Association, the Center for Victims of Torture, and The Nokomis Healthy Seniors Group, among many others.
H.R. 7432 has been referred to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.