ABATEMENT OF INTEREST ON UNDERPAYMENTS BY TAXPAYERS IN PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTER AREAS.

SEC. 3309. ABATEMENT OF INTEREST ON UNDERPAYMENTS BY TAXPAYERS IN PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTER AREAS. (a) In General.— Section 6404 (relating to abatements), as amended by section 3305, is amended by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i) and by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection: “(h) Abatement of Interest on Underpayments by Taxpayers in Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas.— “(1) In general.— If the Secretary extends for any period the time for filing income tax returns under section 6081 and the time for paying income tax with respect to such returns under section 6161 for any taxpayer located in a Presidentially declared disaster area, the Secretary shall abate for such period the assessment of any interest prescribed under section 6601 on such income tax. “(2) Presidentially declared disaster area.— For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ‘Presidentially declared disaster area’ means, with respect to any taxpayer, any area which the President has determined warrants assistance by the Federal Government under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.”. (b) Effective Date.— The amendment made by this section shall apply to disasters declared after December 31, 1997, with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1997. (c) Emergency Designation.— (1) For the purposes of section 252(e) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, Congress designates the provisions of this section as an emergency requirement. (2) The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall only take effect upon the transmittal by the President to the Congress of a message designating the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 252(e) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.112 STAT. 746