Rep. Foster. U.S. House bill would create pre-populated tax forms for individuals

The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster in the U.S. House aims to simplify tax filing by providing downloadable, pre-populated individual income tax forms, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8299 was introduced on April 15, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to amend the Internal Revenue Code to create a program for downloading partially pre-populated individual income tax forms, such as the 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to make taxpayer return information available within 15 days of receipt, ensuring it is presented in both a printable document format and a computer-readable format for automated tax preparation software. Additionally, the Secretary must establish standards for data downloads and provide a demonstration server by October 31, 2026. Taxpayers will remain responsible for verifying the accuracy of their return. The amendments will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Bill Foster (Democrat-IL-11th District) and co-sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Democrat-IL-12th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Foster has introduced another 14 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Bill Foster is a Representative from Illinois with a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He was first elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Tenth Congress by special election and has been reelected to the subsequent congresses since the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress.