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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more news

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Ban on Broadcasts (Again)

The long-running debate over whether grassroots lobbying broadcasts should be exempt from the federal ban on "electioneering communications" may finally be resolved in 2007. On Jan. 19, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life during its current term, making a final decision before the 2008 elections likely. The case challenges the McCain-Feingold campaign finance rule barring corporations, including nonprofits, from paying for broadcasts that mention federal candidates 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a primary. The Supreme Court decision is likely to determine how the Federal Election Commission (FEC) uses its power to create exemptions to the rule and may generate action in Congress as well.

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Misinformation Campaign Defeats Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure in Senate

When the Senate passed S. 1, the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007, on Jan. 18, it left out a provision that would have required big dollar federal grassroots lobbying campaigns to disclose their spending and the identity of their clients. The provision was taken out after an intensive campaign by opponents that was primarily based on inaccurate information or interpretations that were at odds with the stated intentions of the sponsors.

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2006 Form 990 Instructions

Jan 23, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

According to BNA Money and Politics ($$), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will post on its website instructions for the 2006 Form 990 used by exempt organizations to report their revenues.

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Senate Passes Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill

On Jan. 18, the Senate passed its first major piece of legislation, S. 1, the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007. The sweeping measure covers congressional travel, gifts, and lobbying activity and increases disclosure. However, senators rejected proposals to create an independent ethics panel and to require big dollar grassroots lobbying campaigns to disclose their spending. Grassroots lobbying disclosure and other proposals now move to the House, which has passed its own ethics rules, but has yet to act on amending the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Travel and Gifts

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Stay Exempt

Jan 22, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it has launched a new website offering tax-exempt organizations free online training workshops covering tax compliance issues geared towards small and mid-sized exempt organizations. The website, "Stay Exempt - Tax Basics for 501(c)(3)s," has five interactive tutorials. These topics include keeping your tax-exempt status, employment issues, unrelated business income, form 990, and required disclosures.

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Wisconsin Right to Life Case to be Considered by Supreme Court

Jan 22, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

As anticipated, the Supreme Court will consider the Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) case this term. The case deals with the ban on corporate and union funding of ads mentioning federal candidates 60 days before a general election, or 30 days before a primary. In December a three-judge court ruled that the WRTL ads in contention were constitutionally protected from the ban. The ruling was appealed, sending the case back to the Supreme Court to be considered this term, as of Friday's decision.

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Grassroots Lobbying Provision Stripped from S.1

Jan 19, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Democrats were under great pressure to complete their ethics and lobbying reform bill. The comprehensive bill approved last night unfortunately did not include Sec.220 for grassroots lobbying disclosure, after Senator Bennett's amendment was passed calling for the removal of the measure. As the Washington Post reports; "One provision that was stricken from the bill last night would have forced interest groups to disclose funds spent on grass-roots campaigns that implore the public to contact their representatives about legislation." The amendment was passed by a vote of 43-55.

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Senate Passes Ethics and Lobbying Reform Package

Jan 19, 2007 by Dana Chasin

Late last night, the Senate passed S. 1 by a 96-2 vote, after a deal was struck between Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) to allow Gregg's non-germane presidential line-item or 'enhanced recission' authority amendment to be brought up next week during the Senate debate on the minimum wage. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, who appeared willing to hold S. 1 hostage so long as any accommodation of Gregg's amendment was made, dropped his objections and permitted a vote on S. 1.

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Action Alert: Urge Your Senator to Vote NO on the Bennett Amendment

Jan 18, 2007 by Kay Guinane

A proposal to make big money grassroots lobbying campaigns on federal legislation more transparent is under fire from opponents that have exaggerated the impact it will have on nonprofits. Sen. Bennett has proposed an amendment to strip the provision (Sec. 220) from S. 1, the Senate ethics and lobby reform bill. THE VOTE ON THE BENNETT AMENDMENT IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. To support transparency and expose "Astroturf" campaigns please contact your Senators and ask them to VOTE NO on the Bennett Amendment. To take action click here

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McCain to Vote in Favor of Removing Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure

Jan 18, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Hill reports that Senator McCain plans on supporting Senator Bennett's amendment that would remove the grassroots lobbying provision from S.1, despite previous support of such a measure. "McCain sponsored legislation last Congress that included an even broader requirement for grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. But now he will vote to defeat a similar measure." This amendment could still be voted on. Opponents argue that the provision will directly affect the level of activism by citizen groups.

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