Nonprofit Organizations and Counterterrorism Measures

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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Cleveland United Ways Mandating Checking Watch List

Aug 19, 2005 by Guest Blogger

One of Cleveland's most influential charities is asking its member agencies to look for terrorists among their employees and will withhold donations if they refuse. United Way Services of Greater Cleveland officials say they are just doing what the parent organization, United Way of America recommended. And, they say, they're complying with the USA Patriot Act. The U.S. Justice Department can't find any reference in the act that specifically requires nonprofits to check employee names against its suspected terrorist lists.

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Ruling on Material Support of Terrorist Organizations Mixed Blessing

A U.S. court ruled that key provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act targeting material support of terrorist organizations remain unconstitutionally vague despite recent revisions by Congress. The "material support" statutes, particularly troubling to nonprofit organizations, prohibited U.S. citizens or organizations from providing material support or resources to designated "foreign terrorist organizations," regardless of the nature or intent of the support. In the 42-page decision, U.S.

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Nonprofit Groups Expanding Checks

Aug 4, 2005 by Guest Blogger

How does a nonprofit group weigh the safety of its clientele against the privacy of its employees? Many nonprofits are struggling with that question now. For example, in a recent NY Times article, Stephanie Strom disscusses how several Boys & Girls Clubs have begun using a technology that provides continuing updates on criminal convictions among staff members and volunteers. The clubs say concerns about children's safety outweigh any potential invasion of privacy. Now, the Boy Scouts of America is considering whether to use a similar technology.

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See Transcript of Panel on Charities and Anit-Terrorism

Jul 16, 2005 by Kay Guinane

The transcript for the Georgetown Public Policy Institute/Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership (CPNL) June 14th panel discussion "Safeguarding Charity in the War on Terror" is now available on the CPNL website. Click here for the full transcript.

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Panel Explores Threats to Charity in the Post-9/11 Regulatory Environment

On June 14 the Georgetown Public Policy Institute's Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership (CPNL) hosted Safeguarding Charity in the War on Terror, a panel discussion on the impact of government anti-terrorism programs on the nonprofit sector. A diverse group of scholars and practitioners charged that the government's campaign against terrorist financing has proven ineffective, inefficient, and harmful to philanthropy and charitable programs. Panelists included:

Teresa Odendahl, 2004/2005 Waldemar A. Nielsen Chair in Philanthropy, CPNL,

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Summary of Georgetown Panel: Safeguarding Charity in the War on Terror

On June 14 the Georgetown Public Policy Institute’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership (CPNL) hosted Safeguarding Charity in the War on Terror, a panel discussion on the post-9/11 regulatory environment and its effects on the nonprofit sector. The discussion highlighted the ineffective, inefficient, harmful nature of the new administrative burdens nonprofits face in their government-prescribed role of investigators in the war against terror.

Teresa Odendahl, Waldemar A. Nielsen Chair in Philanthropy, CPNL

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OMB Watch Submits Comments on Combined Federal Campaign Anti-Terrorist Certification

OMB Watch has filed comments on the Combined Federal Campaign's (CFC) proposed anti-terrorist financing certification for fiscal year 2006 (FY06) that support CFC's shift away from its FY05 requirement that participating charities check employee names against government terrorist watch lists. The CFC is the federal government's workplace charitable giving program. The comments suggest ways the proposed certification can be improved to provide clearer guidance and suggest that CFC develop procedures for organizations to cure any noncompliance discovered during the program year. OMB Watch is one of 12 nonprofit plaintiffs that have challenged the current certification in federal court

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US Says Saudis Need to Crack Down on Charities

May 26, 2005 by Guest Blogger

According to Reuters, the United States is impatient with Saudi Arabia's delays in establishing a commission to control the flow of charitable funds and keep them out of the hands of terrorists, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. While the Saudis had made "some progress" in cracking down on terrorism financing, U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey said "much remains for the Saudis to do." For the full scoop

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Patriot Act Hearings Examine Need for Surveillance Powers

May 16, 2005 by Amanda Adams*

On May 11 the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a public oversight hearing on the PATRIOT Act to consider renewal of the law, including surveillance provisions that have been heavily criticized by civil liberties groups. Testimony from the American Civil Liberties Union detailed examples of abuse of these provisions. Dep. Attorney General James Comey, Jr. testified on the continuing need for these powers. See a summary on the committee website. Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) has introduced alternative legislation, the SAFE Act

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Principles of International Charity

May 9, 2005 by Guest Blogger

Check out the alternatives to the Treasury Guidelines, crafted by over 40 charities.

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