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! The two amendments would add a penalty clause to Secs. 7 and 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The provision states that if a 501(c) organization — and only 501(c) organizations — engages in lobbying activities with federal funds, an officer of the organization can be imprisoned for 5 years and fined. Why should you be concerned about these amendments?

• These amendments pose a negative, unwarranted and potentially unconstitutional threat for the entire nonprofit sector.
• Nonprofit organizations that receive federal grant money to fear that access to such funds might be restricted if they do not curb their own legally-permissible advocacy activities.
• Existing laws and regulations already prohibit nonprofits from using federal funds to lobby or support or oppose a candidate for elected office.

The provision is aimed at nonprofit organizations — for-profits are not penalized in this same manner. These amendments could have a profound impact on the nonprofit sector as a whole. Take action today to send a message that nonprofit speech is a protected right and should not be hindered!