A bill pending in the United States Congress would promote charitable giving and ultimately benefit organizations that feed the hungry and shelter the homeless, says James Standish, director of legislative affairs for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Standish, speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference October 18, said the proposal to allow more people to receive tax benefits when they donate to charities is an idea “virtually free of legal or philosophical controversy.”

Under current rules, taxpayers must “itemize their deductions” on their tax returns before they can receive a tax benefit for their charitable giving. But itemization is currently practiced by only one-third of Americans—predominantly the wealthiest, explains Standish.

“Our tax system currently penalizes poor and moderate income Americans who open their hearts to charitable causes,” he says.

Under the proposed legislation, Americans would be able to claim tax benefits from their donations to charities regardless of the amount donated. According to independent projections, this change to the tax rules could stimulate an extra $14.6 billion of charitable giving each year.

“This is $14.6 billion more for organizations that feed our hungry, shelter our homeless, mentor our kids, and provide the full gamut of charitable services that makes our society strong,” says Standish, who was invited by Republican Senator Rick Santorum to speak at the press conference. Santorum and Democratic Senator Evan Bayh, who are co-sponsors of the bill, officiated at the event.

The proposed legislation has gathered support from a broad range of religious, charitable, and non-profit organizations who agree the measure will promote fairness in the tax code and make charitable giving even more attractive to the American public.