McCain Proposal on 527s

Mar 14, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From Roll Call: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has unveiled a proposal to limit donations to 527 organizations to $25,000 per person each year, or $50,000 each election cycle, that if enacted could be a huge blow to the groups’ hopes of being a force in the 2006 elections. Those groups raised and spent more than $500 million in the previous cycle, with many of the organizations relying on multimillion-dollar donations from wealthy individuals to fund their activities.

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Effects of the Senate Budget Resolution

Mar 14, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Senate will be considering amendments to the budget resolution that came out of committee today and likely voting on it tomorrow. Here is a good analysis of the effects this budget resolution would have: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: The Senate Budget Committee's Plan: A Brief Analysis

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Nonprofit May Be Under IRS Scrutiny Soon

Mar 14, 2006 by Guest Blogger

An article in the Hill says that the nonprofit group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washingington (CREW) may be the recipient of a complaint filed with the IRS. Tax experts say that CREW’s seemingly lopsided focus on Republicans will raise flags at the IRS, but they caution that determining violations of tax status so depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each case that it is impossible to predict how the IRS will act.

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Islamic Charity Sues Over Illegal Wiretapping

Mar 14, 2006 by Kay Guinane

Three related stories in the Washington Post reveal how the NSA spying program was used by the government to listen in on conversations between an Islamic charity and their American lawyers. NSA Sued on Wiretap Claim CBS News Wednesday, March 1, 2006; 2:01 AM Saudi Group Alleges Wiretapping by U.S. Defunct Charity's Suit Details Eavesdropping By Carol D. Leonnig and Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post Staff Writers Thursday, March 2, 2006; A01 Paper Said to Show NSA Spying Given to Post Reporter in 2004 By Carol D. Leonnig Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, March 3, 2006; A04

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OpEd on Closing of Muslim Charities

Mar 14, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Crime of Being a Muslim Charity by Laila Al-Marayati and Basil Abdelkarim Sunday March 12, 2006 Washington Post The writers, both physicians, are board members of KinderUSA, a Muslim American nonprofit humanitarian organization.

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Dreier Working on House Republican Lobby Reform Plan

Mar 14, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Republican leaders worked on on a lobby reform bill over the weekend will reportedly discuss the issue at their weekly leadership meeting today. It is unclear what the lobby reform package will entail or which committees would be assigned the legislation. Speaker Dennis Hastert and Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier unveiled a lobbying package in January was not accepted by some House Republicans.

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PART: Meet Winchester, Virginia

Mar 13, 2006 by Matthew Madia

PART is still pretty unfamiliar to most followers of federal policy at the national level, so it is interesting to note this story in the Winchester Star newspaper: When kids and families struggle with substance abuse or other issues, it is a total community issue. The Safe and Drug Free Schools Program helps school systems provide support for troubled students and families through services such as violence and drug prevention. But the federal program, which provides for state grants and national programs, has been targeted for elimination in President Bush’s 2007 budget.

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Recent GOP Estate Tax Comments

Mar 13, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Yesterday, four prominent GOP Senators echoed their dedication to repealing the estate tax at a rally in Memphis, TN. Sens. Bill Frist (R-TN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sam Brownback (R-KS), and George Allen (R-VA) expressed their commitment to not only repealing the estate tax, but making tax cuts permanent in general.

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Sen. Committee Passes Resolution With ANWR Provision

Mar 10, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The budget resolution approved by the Senate Budget Committee includes a provision opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil exploration, promising to set up a showdown on the floor next week. The provision is contentious because it would protect the provision from filibuster. A letter of objection was signed by prominent Republican Senators including Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) Norm Coleman (R-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), John McCain (R-AZ), and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), saying:

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Bennet Introduces Amendment to Strike Grassroots Provision

Mar 10, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Robert Bennett (R-UT) introduced an amendment yesterday to strike section 220 of the lobby reform bill, which mandates disclosure of grassroots expenditures of a certain threshold For more information on the grassroots and other provisions, see OMB Watch's paper on current provisions impacting nonprofits in the lobby disclosure bill.

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