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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Supreme Court Upholds Campaign Finance Law

On Dec. 10 the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), upholding most of its provisions, including the ban on soft money contributions to political parties and “electioneering communications” restrictions. It is not clear what impact the ruling will have on charitable organizations. Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules implementing BCRA exempt charities from the ban on electioneering communications. However, Rep.

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Rep. Serrano Urges Congress to Drop Restriction on Legal Services

On Dec. 8, Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) raised the issue of restrictions on use of privately raised funds by legal service programs.

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Text of Floor Statement and Letters on Legal Services Restrictions

(1) December 8, 2003 Statement of Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) regarding restrictions on use of private money in legal services programs. (2) Letter from nonprofits seeking end to legal services restrictions. (3) Letter from 16 members of Congress seeking end of restrictions. 1. Floor statement of Rep. Serrano (Portion relevant to legal services in bold.) 149 Cong.Rec. H12766-02 2003 WL 22889076 (Cong.Rec.) Congressional Record --- House of Representatives Proceedings and Debates of the 108th Congress, First Session Monday, December 8, 2003

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IRS Says E-Filing for Form 990 Ready for 2004 Filing Season

The Internal Revenue Service’s manager for electronic program initiatives has said the IRS will be ready to accept electronic submission for Form 990, the annual financial and activity report filed by most nonprofits, during the first quarter of 2004.

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In Honor of Bill of Rights Day: A look at the First Amendment

On this day, December 15, National Bill of Rights Day, OMB Watch would like to pay tribute to our nation’s First Amendment. This 45-word phrase, drafted by James Madison more than 210 years ago, has guaranteed freedoms and liberties through more than two centuries – allowing for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble, and the freedom to access public information.

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Update on Faith-Based Initiative

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case that raises the issue of whether state scholarship aid can be used for religious training. In the same week, White House Faith-Based Office Director Jim Towey says “fringe” religions should be ineligible for federal grants.

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IRS Must Disclose Determinations of Tax-Exempt Status

On Dec. 2, the United States Court of Appeals reversed a U.S. district court decision that the IRS can keep documents on determinations for organizations’ tax-exempt status private.

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Istook Strikes Back - Another Attack on Nonprofit Speech

Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) is seeking to muzzle all organizations that promote the legalization or medical use of any substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act. In doing so, Istook is stripping the free speech rights of all organizations that fight for better medical treatment for ailing patients.

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OMB Asked to Deny HHS Request to Survey Head Start Grantees

OMB Watch has asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to deny a request from the Department of Health Human Services (HHS) to conduct a national survey of Head Start program executive salaries and travel costs because it duplicates information HHS already has and places an unnecessary burden on Head Start programs. The survey was HHS’s response to a request from two members of the House Education and Workforce Committee, which asked for a “review of the financial management of Head Start grantees nationwide.” See the full text of the OMB Watch Comments.

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OMB Watch Comments to OMB on HHS Request for Survey of Head Start Programs

December 8, 2003 Lauren Wittenburg Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Office of Management and Budget 725 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20503 Re: Proposed Information Collection, Administration for Children and Families, “Survey of Salaries and Other Compensation of Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies Nationwide”, 68 Fed. Reg. 64,351 (November 13, 2003) Dear Ms.

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