The Republican Study Committee is pushing to disqualify any nonprofit that lobbies or carries on other advocacy activities from applying for grants under a proposed new affordable housing program. This is another incident in a long string of attempts to silence nonprofits by introducing new restrictions for separate programs. A similar attempt to limit advocacy by disability groups was defeated in 2003 when thousands of nonprofits raised objections. Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, led by Reps. Michael Pence (R-IN) and Tom Feeney (R-FL), want to disqualify groups that lobby with private funds from applying for grants under an Affordable Housing Fund created by H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. (Since they have not released the language, it is unclear how broad the anti-advocacy language might be.) The group wrote to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) asking that a floor vote on the bill be held up while they push to get their disqualification language inserted. House Financial Services Chairman Michael Oxley (R-OH) and Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) are holding the line for nonprofits. They, with Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) circulated a letter on September 20 to colleagues entitled, “The Truth About the Affordable Housing Fund.” The letter clarified the misleading information about the fund that is emanating from the Republican Study Committee, whose members oppose the fund. The letter counters accusations that the fund will be used for political advocacy, that it is a “slush fund,” and that the fund will become an entitlement fund. Chairman Oxley inserted a provision in the bill that re-states current law that government funds cannot be used for lobbying or election activities. However, we have heard reports that the provision is being negotiated to bring the bill to the floor. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) held up the floor vote on the bill, but has since stepped aside as Majority Leader after being indicted in a Texas campaign finance case. Hopefully, this means that the bill will be sent to the floor with no delay! This means your calls and faxes to House leadership are urgently needed to hold the line for nonprofits — tell House leadership to bring the bill to the floor immediately! Please call or fax the House leaders below and ask them to:

• Oppose the Republican Study Committee proposal for H.R. 1461. Do not use the federal grants process to silence nonprofits using private funds for lobbying and advocacy.
• Bring H.R. 1461 to the floor immediately!