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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Senate Extends Lobbyist Gift Ban to Meals

Mar 8, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Senate adopted by voice vote an amendment by Christopher J. Dodd, (D-CT)., that would extend the gift ban in the lobbying overhaul bill (S 2349) to include meals. The action came after the Senate rejected, 44-55, an amendment that would have restored Democratic-supported provisions stripped from an earlier version of the bill, including the meal ban and allowing members to vote on the full text of a bill in an open conference meeting.

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Tomorrow's FEC Agenda Includes OMB Watch Petition for Rulemaking

Mar 8, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Federal Election Commission to discuss the petition filed by OMB Watch, Alliance for Justice, Chamber of Commerce and National Education Association tomorrow at 10 am. For the FEC agenda and petition, click here

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Reid Substitute Fails on Party Line Vote

Mar 8, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Harry Reid offered an amendment in the form of a substitute bill - his Open Government bill. Rejected by a vote of 44-55: Republicans 0-55 Democrats 43-0 (Northern Democrats 39-0, Southern Democrats 4-0) Independents 1-0

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House To Act on Lobby Reform in April

Mar 8, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Majority Leader Boehner was quoted Tuesday as saying he expects the House to take up lobby reform legislation in April. Meanwhile, former House Ethics Chairman Hefley and Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., a former member of the committee, Tuesday offered their own package of changes to House rules. The Hefley-Hulsof package would require pre-approval and prompt public disclosure of privatly funded travel, public disclosure of and new reporting requirements on gifts, and changes to the process of investigating potential rules violations.

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What's Up With the Tax Reconcilliation Bill?

Mar 8, 2006 by Guest Blogger

According to BNA: A tax reconciliation bill (H.R. 4297) conference is unlikely to get under way before the week of March 13 as Senate conferees take a last stab at bipartisanship and work toward a game plan to avoid or overcome a budget point of order against a House provision extending investment tax breaks, the top Senate tax writer said March 7.

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More On Vitter's Amendments

Mar 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From CQ: David Vitter, R-La., has declined to drop his planned amendment imposing new campaign finance rules on Indian tribes. Vitter’s plan would treat tribes like corporations under campaign finance law. Vitter has two other amendments that would address the influence of senators’ family members on the legislative process. One, he said, would bar spouses and dependent children from drawing a paycheck from Senate campaigns.

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Report, Announcement on IRS Program to Curb Partisan Activity by Charities, Religious Groups

On Feb. 24 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released its much-anticipated assessment of its program created in 2004 to enforce the ban on partisan election activity by charities and religious organizations. The report found that nearly 75 percent of organizations investigated had violated the ban. At the same time, the agency released guidance that includes detailed examples based on the types of situations that led to investigations in 2004.

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Roundtable Analysis of the Silver Ring Thing Lawsuit Settlement

Mar 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Roundtable on Religion and Social Policy has put out an analysis of the ACLU v. Leavitt (HHS) case. Make sure to check out our Watcher (coming out tomorrow!) for a summary of the case.

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Lott Wants Amendments Today, Dems To Offer 17 Amendments

Mar 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From National Journal:

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More Lobby Reform - Amendments

Mar 7, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The amendment pile has started. Yesterday, Lott and Collins proposed an amendment to the bill S. 2349, to combine S. 2349 (reported out of Rules) and S. 2128 (reported out of HSGAC). David Vitter (R-LA) had a few amendments as well. One amendment was on applying FECA to Indian Tribes, the other would prohibit employment of family members of a candidate or federal office holder by certain political committees. We are hearing that an additional slate of amendments might include:

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