Nonprofit Speech Rights

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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Baucus Does Not Plan to Focus on Charitable Abuses

Aug 15, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

During a conference on rural philanthropy in his home state, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) commented that cracking down on charitable abuses or imposing new regulations on nonprofit groups such as hospitals are not among his main concerns. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy ($$) he said; "That's not at the top of my list." This may be surprising considering the report that his staff released last year with broad legislative recommendations for the nonprofit sector. During the conference last week Baucus urged foundations to double their grants to rural areas within five years.

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IRS Proposes to Increase Disclosure Of Rulings on Tax-Exempt Status

Aug 15, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has proposed rules that would make more documents relating to tax-exempt organizations publicly available, including rulings that deny or revoke an organization's exempt status. "IRS said the rules affect organizations with exemptions under Sections 501(a) or 527, as well as groups that have been denied an exemption or have had their tax-free treatment revoked." To read the proposed rulemaking, click here.

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Lively Discussion on the Role of Nonprofits in Elections

Aug 10, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Yesterday the Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal hosted a forum titled, "Should Nonprofit Organizations Play an Active Role in Election Campaigns?" Nonprofit leaders Pablo Eisenberg and Robert Egger both wrote separate opinion pieces in The Chronicle of Philanthropy that initiated the forum where the two continued this debate that developed into a discussion on the state of the nonprofit sector.

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Possible Veto of Lobbying and Ethics Bill??

Aug 9, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

According to BNA Money and Politics ($$) the lobbying and ethics bill, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, is being further delayed until September because of concerns that President Bush may veto it. Your reaction may now be excuse me, a veto, after all this time? According to the article, a White House spokeswoman said the White House is reviewing the bill and there are some concerns with the provisions on earmarks, the revolving door, and the higher payments for air travel by federal officeholders and candidates.

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A Community Organizing Video Game

Aug 8, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Do you or your organization need help in training community organizers, or in particular, advice on the fundamentals of door knocking? At www.organizinggame.org, you will find resources that support face-to-face training for residents and community leaders. This interactive game (the "Organizing Game") innovatively teaches skills of door knocking, one of the most essential strategies for local community organizations.

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Press Coverage of OMB Watch Panel

Aug 7, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Friday Aug. 3 OMB Watch panel on the pros and cons of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) bright line rule for campaign activities for charities and religious organizations has gained some press attention. From BNA Money and Politics: ($$)

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Ethics and Lobbying Reform: Real World Changes?

Aug 7, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Well now that the lobbying and ethics bill is awaiting the President's signature, many are now asking how much the legislation will actually change the way business is done. An article from today's Washington Post is appropriately titled, "Draining the 'Swamp' Is Not So Easy." For example, now that lobbyists can't buy dinner for a member of Congress, will this only force them to spend more money at political fundraisers instead?

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Panel Discussion Focuses on Need for Clear Rules for 501(c)(3) Groups at Election Time

On Aug. 3, OMB Watch sponsored a panel discussion to address the pros and cons of creating a bright line rule defining what is and is not prohibited partisan intervention in elections by charities and religious organizations. The panelists addressed problems created by the current "facts and circumstances" test, which allows the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to apply its interpretation of the standard on a case by case basis. They also discussed action the nonprofit sector can take to propose and promote a bright line test.

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Bush & Lobby/Ethics Reform -- See:Yellowcake File

Aug 3, 2007 by Dana Chasin

Some people regard the lobbying and ethics bill passed by Congress yesterday as the most significant congressional reform measure adopted in years. Bloomberg reported yesterday that "The U.S. Senate passed legislation that lawmakers said will provide the most sweeping changes in ethics rules in a generation."

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Lobbying/Ethics Bill Passes: Earmarks and the Unthinkable

Aug 2, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

This afternoon, the Senate passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, by a vote of 83-14. Among the significant reforms included in the bill are the following earmarks disclosure requirements:

all earmarks in bills, resolutions, conference reports and managers' statements must be identified and posted on the internet at least 48 hours before a vote
Senators must certify that they and their immediate family will not financially benefit from any earmarks they've requested

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