text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Social Security Protection and Tax 
  Relief Act of 2001''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Working people are subject to social security taxes as 
          well as income taxes, and for over 90 percent of the population 
          the combined tax on earned income is higher than the income tax 
          rates of 15 percent and 28 percent that apply to unearned 
          income.
              (2) There is no logical reason why social security taxes 
          should be imposed only on earnings and not on unearned income 
          (such as dividends, interest, rent income, and capital gains).
  
  SEC. 3. SOCIAL SECURITY TAX ON CERTAIN UNEARNED INCOME.
  
      (a) In General.--Subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue 
  Code of 1986 (relating to determination of tax liability) is amended by 
  adding at the end the following new part:
  
        ``PART VIII--SOCIAL SECURITY TAX ON CERTAIN UNEARNED INCOME
  
                                ``Sec. 59B. Social security tax on 
                                          certain unearned income.
  
  ``SEC. 59B. SOCIAL SECURITY TAX ON CERTAIN UNEARNED INCOME.
  
      ``(a) Imposition of Tax.--In the case of an individual, there is 
  hereby imposed (in addition to any other tax imposed by this subtitle) 
  for each taxable year a tax equal to 12 percent of such individual's 
  social security taxable income for such taxable year.
      ``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
              ``(1) Social security taxable income.--The term `social 
          security taxable income' means adjusted gross income reduced by 
          the greater of--
                      ``(A) the sum of--
                              ``(i) the standard deduction applicable to 
                          the taxpayer (or which would be applicable if 
                          the taxpayer did not elect to itemize 
                          deductions for the taxable year), and
                              ``(ii) the deduction for personal 
                          exemptions under section 151 (determined 
                          without regard to subsection (d)(3) thereof), 
                          or
                      ``(B) the aggregate exempt income of the taxpayer 
                  for the taxable year.
              ``(2) Exempt income.--The term `exempt income' means the 
          following amounts to the extent included in gross income:
                      ``(A) Amounts received as a pension or annuity from 
                  a qualified plan (as defined in section 4980(c)(1)).
                      ``(B) Amounts received as a social security benefit 
                  (as defined in section 86(d)).
                      ``(C) Amounts received as earned income (within the 
                  meaning of section 911(d)).
      ``(c) Credits Not Allowed, Etc.--The tax imposed by this section 
  shall not be treated as a tax imposed by this chapter for purposes of 
  determining--
              ``(1) the amount of any credit allowable under this 
          chapter, or
              ``(2) the amount of the minimum tax imposed by section 
          55.''.
      (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of parts for subchapter A of 
  chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following 
  new item:
  
                                ``Part VIII. Social security tax on 
                                          certain unearned income.''.
      (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
  apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2001.
      (d) Transfers to Trust Funds.--
              (1) In general.--There are hereby appropriated to the payor 
          funds amounts equivalent to the tax imposed by section 59B of 
          such Code (as added by this section). The Secretary of the 
          Treasury shall make appropriate allocations of revenue received 
          in the general fund of the Treasury to each payor fund.
              (2) Transfers.--The amounts appropriated by paragraph (1) 
          to any payor fund shall be transferred from time to time (but 
          not less frequently than quarterly) from the general fund of 
          the Treasury on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of 
          the Treasury of the amounts referred to in such paragraph. Any 
          such quarterly payment shall be made on the first day of such 
          quarter and shall take into account revenue estimated to be 
          received during such quarter. Proper adjustments shall be made 
          in amounts subsequently transferred to the extent prior 
          estimates were in excess of or less than the amounts required 
          to be transferred.
              (3) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
                      (A) Payor fund.--The term ``payor fund'' means any 
                  trust fund or account from which payments of social 
                  security benefits are made.
                      (B) Social security benefits.--The term ``social 
                  security benefits'' has the meaning given such term by 
                  section 86(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
  
  SEC. 4. CHANGE IN RATES OF SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES.
  
      (a) Decrease in Rate of OASDI Tax on Employees.--The table in 
  section 3101(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
  striking the last item and inserting the following:
  
      ``1990 or any year before 2002................      6.2 percent    
      ``2002 or thereafter..........................  4.95 percent.''    
  
      (b) Decrease in Rate of OASDI Tax on Employers.--The table in 
  section 3111(a) of such Code is amended by striking the last item and 
  inserting the following:
  
      ``1990 or any year before 2002................      6.2 percent    
      ``2002 or thereafter..........................  4.95 percent.''    
  
      (c) Decrease in Rate of OASDI Tax on Self-Employment Income.--The 
  table in section 1401(a) of such Code is amended by striking the last 
  item and inserting the following:
        
  
  ``December 31, 1989.................  January 1, 2002........       12.4
  ``December 31, 2001.................  .......................     9.9.''
target: Social Security Protection and Tax Relief Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 12 percent tax on an individual's "social security taxable income." Defines such income as adjusted gross income reduced by the greater of: (1) the sum of the standard deduction applicable to the taxpayer (or which would be applicable if the taxpayer did not elect to itemize deductions for the taxable year) and the deduction for personal exemptions (determined without regard to the phase out); or (2) the aggregate exempt income of the taxpayer for the taxable year. Defines such exempt income as amounts received as a pension or annuity, social security benefits, and earned income. Decreases the old age, survivors, and disability income (social security taxes) tax rates.
feat_title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide more revenue for the Social Security system by imposing a tax on certain unearned income and to provide tax relief for more than 80,000,000 individuals and families who pay more in Social Security taxes than income taxes by reducing the rate of the old age, survivors, and disability insurance Social Security payroll tax.