Cost of Living Tax Cut Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9179 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9179

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for adjustments
 in the individual income tax rates to reflect regional differences in
                          the cost-of-living.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2026

Ms. Gillen (for herself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill;
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for adjustments
 in the individual income tax rates to reflect regional differences in
                          the cost-of-living.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cost of Living Tax Cut Act''.

SEC. 2. REGIONAL COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IN INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX
              RATES.

    (a) General Rule.--Subsection (f) of section 1 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraphs:
            ``(9) Regional cost-of-living adjustments.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of an individual,
                for taxable years beginning after 2026 the rate table
                otherwise in effect under this section for any taxable
                year (determined after the application of paragraph
                (1)) shall be further adjusted as provided in
                subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Method of making regional adjustment.--The
                rate table otherwise in effect under this section with
                respect to any individual for any taxable year shall be
                adjusted as follows:
                            ``(i) The minimum and maximum dollar
                        amounts otherwise in effect for each rate
                        bracket shall be multiplied by the applicable
                        multiplier (for the calendar year in which the
                        taxable year begins) which applies to the
                        statistical area in which the individual's
                        primary place of abode during the taxable year
                        is located.
                            ``(ii) The rate applicable to any rate
                        bracket (as adjusted by clause (i)) shall not
                        be changed.
                            ``(iii) The amount setting forth the tax
                        shall be adjusted to the extent necessary to
                        reflect the adjustments in the rate brackets.
                If any amount determined under clause (i) is not a
                multiple of $50, such amount shall be rounded to the
                nearest multiple of $50.
            ``(10) Determination of multipliers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than December 15 of
                each calendar year, the Secretary shall prescribe an
                applicable multiplier for each statistical area of the
                United States which shall apply to taxable years
                beginning during the succeeding calendar year.
                    ``(B) Determination of multipliers.--
                            ``(i) For each statistical area where the
                        cost-of-living differential for any calendar
                        year exceeds 125 percent, the applicable
                        multiplier for such calendar year is 90 percent
                        of such differential.
                            ``(ii) For each statistical area where the
                        cost-of-living differential for any calendar
                        year exceeds 97 percent but does not exceed 125
                        percent, the applicable multiplier for such
                        calendar year is 1.05.
                            ``(iii) For each statistical area where the
                        cost-of-living differential for any calendar
                        year does not exceed 97 percent (and,
                        notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii), in the
                        case of any statistical area which is outside
                        the United States), the applicable multiplier
                        for such calendar year is 1.
                    ``(C) Cost-of-living differential.--The cost-of-
                living differential for any statistical area for any
                calendar year is the percentage determined by
                dividing--
                            ``(i) the cost-of-living for such area for
                        the preceding calendar year, by
                            ``(ii) the average cost-of-living for the
                        United States for the preceding calendar year.
                    ``(D) Cost-of-living for area.--
                            ``(i) In general.--For calendar year 2026
                        and each calendar year thereafter, the
                        Secretary of Commerce shall determine and
                        publish a cost-of-living index for each
                        statistical area.
                            ``(ii) Methodology.--The cost-of-living
                        index determined under clause (i) for any
                        statistical area for any calendar year shall be
                        based on average market prices for the area for
                        the 12-month period ending on August 31 of such
                        calendar year. The market prices taken into
                        account under the preceding sentence shall be
                        selected and used under the same methodology as
                        is used by the Secretary of Commerce in
                        developing Regional Price Parities indexes.
                    ``(E) Statistical area.--For purposes of this
                subsection, the term `statistical area' means--
                            ``(i) any metropolitan statistical area as
                        defined by the Secretary of Commerce, and
                            ``(ii) the portion of any State not within
                        a metropolitan statistical area as so
                        defined.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply
to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.
                                 <all>