Tim Delaney, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, which advocates on behalf of charitable nonprofits nationwide, released the following statement reacting to the news that language in the tax bill that would have undermined the Johnson Amendment has been excluded by the Senate Parliamentarian because it would violate the Byrd Rule:
“We’re relieved that the devastating proposal to politicize charitable nonprofits, houses of worship, and foundations has been removed from the tax bill that will be voted on next week. And we’re proud of our state associations of nonprofits that mobilized their members from the grassroots to lift voices up to the Hill, thankful for our many coalition partners who worked so diligently to defeat the outlandish proposal, and grateful to every one of the more than 5,600 charitable, religious, and philanthropic organizations that signed the unifying Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship and the 4,300 religious leaders who signed the Faith Voices letter to express their strong opposition to the proposal to politicize the 501(c)(3) community.
“But – the fight is not over. A similar attempt to weaken the Johnson Amendment was slipped into the House-passed appropriations bill, and we anticipate that additional attempts will be made to slip policy riders into the next appropriations bill. While we celebrate this victory, we will need to remain vigilant and continue to let every member of Congress know that the broad nonprofit, religious, and philanthropic communities oppose any changes to the Johnson Amendment, the longstanding law that protects 501(c)(3) organizations from partisan politics."
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
- Comparison of House and Senate Tax Bills and Their Effects on Nonprofits, Updated Dec. 1, 2017 (Document will be updated as text of conference report becomes available.)
- Senate Tax Bill: Extremely Harmful to Americans and Nonprofits, But Less Bad Than the House Version (December 2, 2017)
- Last-Minute Change to Tax Reform Bill Hardens Nonprofit Opposition (November 9, 2017)
- House Tax Bill Gives Political Churches a Multi-Billion Dollar Payoff (November 7, 2017)
The National Council of Nonprofits (Council of Nonprofits) is a trusted resource and proven advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits. Connecting the policy dots across all levels and branches of governments, the Council of Nonprofits keeps nonprofits informed and empowered to create a positive public policy environment that best supports nonprofits in advancing their missions. Working with and through the nation’s largest network of nonprofits – with 25,000-plus organizational members - we identify emerging trends, share proven practices, and promote solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171215005537/en/
Contacts:
Rick Cohen, 202-962-0322
rcohen@councilofnonprofits.org
