The House Administration Committee scheduled a Nov. 11 hearing to investigate the ways in which political action committees (PACs) are using soft money after passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA). Chair Bob Ney (R-OH) issued a news release saying, “In recent months, many of us in the Congress have watched with increasing concern as organizations have been formed in the wake of BCRA with the apparent intent of using soft money to influence federal elections -- something which the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act purported to ban.”

Opposition grows to church electioneering bill.

The Supreme Court won’t hear the case of a nonprofit shut down under the PATRIOT Act – the IRS ends its special process for reviewing revocation of tax exempt status – Parties settle lawsuit in Georgia over religious discrimination in hiring for state funded jobs – and a new website promotes electronic filing of IRS Form 990. More details below: Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal of a Nonprofit Shut Down Under PATRIOT Act

On Nov. 13, the United States Postal Service (USPS) lifted a ban on commercial mailers profiting from charity appeals sent at discounted postal rates.