Protecting Nonprofit 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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Inquiry into Gov't Spying on Nonprofits Expands

On Feb. 1, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expanded its inquiry into government spying on U.S. nonprofit groups by filing multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the Department of Defense (DOD), in order to determine the full extent of monitoring by the Pentagon. The new ACLU information requests seek information on four national groups and several local groups in six states. Further review of documents already released to the ACLU reveals that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has used reports by right-wing groups in its investigations.

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Reform Bills Mount, Both Houses Plot Course of Action

As reform bills mount and calls for lobbying reform intensify, members of Congress are beginning to grapple with technical details and a timeframe for legislation. On Jan. 25, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) held the first of what may be many congressional hearings on lobbying reform. Three panels of witnesses testified, addressing a wide range of issues, including grassroots lobbying disclosure; possible bans on privately sponsored travel and gifts for congressional members and staff; and spending earmarks inserted into appropriation bills.

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Nonprofits Call for Withdrawal of Anti-Terror Financing Guidelines

Nonprofit leaders recently called on the Treasury Department to withdraw its anti-terrorism financing guidelines for charities and to replace them with principles developed by the charitable community. Treasury's Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities, were initially issued in 2002 and revised on Dec. 5, 2005. Treasury sought comments on its revision, despite their having been operational since Dec. 5; it is unclear how the department will use the comments submitted by the nonprofits.

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Blackout Period Begins for Some Nonprofit Broadcasts

For the first time ever, charities and religious organizations are among groups barred from broadcasting messages that refer to federal candidates within 30 days of a primary and 60 days of a general election. The Wisconsin Right to Life Committee (WRTL), a nonprofit organization that has challenged the ban, asked a special three-judge court to expedite its review of the constitutionality of the rule as it applies to grassroots lobbying broadcasts. The court will hold a status hearing for Feb. 27.

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Two More Hearing Scheduled For Lobby Reform

Feb 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Two more hearings scheduled on various aspects of lobby reform. We can be guaranteed they won't be the last, though. Senate Indian Affairs Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 8 to look at closing a loophole under the Federal Election Campaign Act that places no aggregate limit on the contributions an Indian tribe can make in an election year. Click here for details. Senate Rules Chairman Trent Lott (R-MS)is holding a hearing on Feb. 8 that is a forum to look at adding greater transparency to the legislative process. Click here for more information.

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Tax Reconcilliation Conference Moves Forward

Feb 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The House and Senate are hoping to get everything done to begin a conference committee on tax reconciliation legislation. A motion to go to conference on the bill is slated for House floor action Wednesday. House action on the tax reconciliation bill will clear the way for the Senate to appoint its own slate of conferees. Senate rules allow for 10 hours of debate, which could begin as early as Wednesday but will likely be subject to votes Thursday. Staffers have expressed a desire to wrap up the conference before the Presidents' Day break that begins Feb.

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UWA Drops Nonitemizer Report, As Groups Galvanize to Oppose It

Feb 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

United Way released a report yesterday detailing the benefits of the nonitemizer. According to United Way, the proposed nonitemizer deduction in the Senate tax reconciliation bill (formerly S. 2020, now incorporated in H.R. 4297) could increase charitable giving to United Way alone by a net $180 million a year.

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Carville and Begala Get into Lobby Reform

Feb 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Everyone is in the lobby reform game these days! Here is James Carville and Paul Begala's idea in Washington Monthly.

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McCain Criticizes Obama on Lobbying Reform

Feb 6, 2006 by Guest Blogger

In a letter sent Monday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told Sen. Barack Obama that he was guilty of "partisan posturing" on the issue of lobbying ethics reform.

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OMB Watch: 'Voluntary' Anti-Terrorist Guidelines Remain Flawed

OMB Watch, in comments submitted last week, called on the Treasury Department to withdraw its revised Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines that are intended to assist public charities in preventing the misuse of their funds by terrorists.

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