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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Lobby Reform Update

Mar 29, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

In the Senate, they are currently dealing with a vote to set aside the Feingold amendment dealing with meals. They called up a number of amendments - particulary one that nonprofits should be concerned with. Today, the Senate brought up two amendments offered by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) that would severly chill nonprofit speech with the threat of jail time. These amendments most likely will be considered later today. The nonprofit community needs you to contact your Senator and tell him you OPPOSE the Inhofe amendments to the lobby reform bill!

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Lobby Reform Update - House and Senate

Mar 28, 2006 by Guest Blogger

In the House, the House Rules committee will hold the first markup of the House Lobbying Reform bill HR 4975 this Thursday to markup the provisions that fall under their jurisdiction. There has been a commitment by Republican leadership to go through the committee process with all provisions of the bill, which means as many as 5 different committee markups may occur. At the same time, the House calendar for next week has lobbying reform and 527 reform legislation on it for consideration.

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Holds Amendment Passes

Mar 28, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Senate voted 84-13 to adopt an amendment to the lobby reform bill (S 2349) that would require senators to submit objections to bringing up a bill or nomination in writing to the Senate leadership. The amendment would give senators three days to resolve their concerns privately before their hold is made public.

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Money Finally Flows to Faith-Based Orgs in Wake of Katrina

Mar 28, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Seven months after the Gulf Coast experienced a series of devastating hurricanes, faith-based and community organizations are beginning to receive federal help following delays in administrative processing and paperwork. For more, check out the The Roundtable's article

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Where is this Senate Lobby Reform Train Headed?

Mar 28, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Senate took up lobby reform again, as Sen. Schumer withdrew his second-degree amendment that caused the lobby reform train to derail weeks ago. Today, Frist has reportedly been pleading with Senators to set aside their amendments so they could vote on lobby reform. Frist planned for discussion and voting on the McCain-Liberman-Collins-Obama Office of Public Integrity Amendment and then a vote on the Wyden-Grassley "no more secret holds" amendment.

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Lobby Reform Back on Senate Floor

Mar 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Senate will reconvene at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 27, following a weeklong recess. The chamber will then resume consideration of lobbying overhaul legislation (S 2349). A roll call vote is scheduled to occur at approximately 5:30 p.m. Senate leaders have not yet announced the subject of the vote, however, it is likely to be related to the lobbying bill.

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FEC Unanimously Approves Internet Rulemaking

Mar 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From Bob Bauer's blog:

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FEC Draft Internet Rules

Mar 24, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Commissioners Lenhard and Weintraub provide a summary of the FEC draft Internet rules published today. The summary is available at www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com

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So the End of Recess Comes...

Mar 24, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Another end to another recess. What awaits us next week? The FEC is supposed to take up the Internet rulemaking on Monday. We'll see if that happens. Reportedly, the House is supposed to take up this issue as well on Wednesday, with the Hensarling bill making another showing. On the Senate side, looks like more lobby reform. Originally, Frist and Lott were quoted as saying they wanted to get through lobby reform tomorrow - with a vote in the early evening - but that is looking more and more unlikely.

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Support Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure!

Tell the Senate to keep the grassroots lobbying provision in S.1 for the strongest reform bill possible. This measure contains a provision that would require disclosure of federal grassroots lobbying, but only for groups already registered under the Lobby Disclosure Act because of their direct federal lobbying expenses or firms that spend over $25,000 in a quarter conducting such campaigns on behalf of clients. There has been some incorrect information spreading regarding the provision, such as the claim that it will silence many small groups. We must correct this myth.

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