Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship Updated October 1, 2018 Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship UPDATED October 1, 2018 The Honorable Paul Ryan The Honorable Mitch McConnell Speaker Senate Majority Leader H-232 The Capitol S-230 The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Chuck Schumer House Democratic Leader Senate Democratic Leader H-204 The Capitol S-221 The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Kevin Brady The Honorable Orrin Hatch Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance 1102 Longworth House Office Building 219 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Richard Neal The Honorable Ron Wyden Ranking Member, House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member, Senate Committee on 1139E Longworth House Office Building Finance Washington, D.C. 20515 219 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Speaker Ryan, Majority Leader McConnell, Leader Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Chairman Brady, Chairman Hatch, Ranking Member Neal, and Ranking Member Wyden: The undersigned organizations strongly oppose proposals that would politicize the charitable nonprofit and philanthropic community by repealing or weakening current federal tax law protections that prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations from endorsing, opposing, or contributing to political candidates. Nonpartisanship is a cornerstone principle that has strengthened the public’s trust of the charitable community. In exchange for enjoying tax-exempt status and the ability to receive tax-deductible contributions, 501(c)(3) organizations – charitable nonprofits, including religious congregations, and foundations – agree to not engage in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” That provision of law protects the integrity and independence of charitable nonprofits and foundations. It shields the entire 501(c)(3) community against the rancor of partisan politics so the charitable community can be a safe haven where individuals of all beliefs come together to solve community problems free from partisan divisions. It screens out doubts and suspicions regarding ulterior partisan motives of charitable organizations, as undoubtedly would occur if even just a few charitable organizations engaged in partisan politics. Nonpartisan credibility is critical to the ability of 501(c)(3) organizations to work with elected officials of all parties at the local, state, and federal levels to address community needs. Charitable nonprofits, including religious congregations, are free to speak on important matters of the day and advocate on public policy issues and legislation. Private foundations, while barred from most lobbying activities, are free to engage in public debates, promote public education efforts, and fund a wide range of issue-focused activities. The relevant language in Section 501(c)(3) merely prohibits partisan campaign intervention, defined to include endorsing or opposing candidates for public office, publishing or distributing statements for or against candidates, or using tax-deductible and other resources to support partisan campaign activities. Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship UPDATED October 1, 2018 Page 2 We are united in opposing any and all efforts to weaken or repeal this longstanding protection in the federal tax code (sometimes called the Johnson Amendment) that President Eisenhower signed into law in 1954. Weakening the law by allowing leaders of individual 501(c)(3) entities to endorse candidates for public office and engage in some partisan electioneering activities would damage the integrity and effectiveness of all charitable organizations and spawn litigation as innovative partisans seek to expand gray areas in the proposed legislation. Repealing the Johnson Amendment, an approach promoted by the President and some in Congress, would damage the federal Treasury as people take tax deductions for political contributions they could then funnel through charitable nonprofits, undercut fair elections by providing a loophole to avoid campaign contribution disclosure laws, and empower politicians to exert pressure for access to foundation assets and charitable funds for their own partisan campaigns rather than for the public good. We urge you to join us in opposing efforts to weaken and/or repeal the current law that for six decades has successfully protected the integrity and effectiveness of charitable nonprofits and foundations by keeping them apart from partisan politics. Respectfully, National Organizations Anti-Defamation League Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center Abila Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals Accreditation Council for Psychoanalytic Association of American Colleges and Education, Inc. Universities AdoptAClassroom.org Association of Art Museum Directors Alliance for Strong Families and Communities Association of Direct Response Fundraising Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Counsel African Diaspora United, Inc. Association of Fundraising Professionals America Solidaria U.S. Association of Immunization Managers American Alliance of Museums Association of Nature Center Administrators American Association of Anatomists Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice American Association of Physics Teachers Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty American Association of Teachers of German Baptist Women in Ministry American Atheists Barr Foundation American Bladder Cancer Society BoardSource American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Medicine Violence American Brass Chamber Music Association Camp Fire American Conference of Academic Deans Campion Foundation American Heart Association Catholic Charities USA American Historical Association Catholic Mobilizing Network American Jewish Committee Celiac Disease Foundation American Medical Association Foundation Center for Health, Environment & Justice American Physiological Society Center for Inquiry American Podiatric Medical Association, Inc. Charles Stewart Mott Foundation American Red Cross Citizen Schools Americans for the Arts CleanSlateNow Americans Promoting Study Abroad Common Cause Americans United for Separation of Church Commonwealth Fund and State Council on Foundations Amyloidosis Foundation Council for Global Equality Animal Legal Defense Fund Dance USA Annie E. Casey Foundation Dementia Society, Inc. Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship UPDATED October 1, 2018 Page 3 Democracy 21 National Alliance of Community Economic Destination & Travel Foundation Development Dietel Partners, LLC National Association of Charitable Gift Disability Rights Advocacy Fund Planners Easter Seals National Association of Health Data Ecology Project International Organizations Engineering Conferences International National Association of State Boating Law Episcopal Relief & Development Administrators (NASBLA) Feed the Children National Association of Watch and Collectors Feeding America National Association for Shoplifting Prevention Fidesco USA NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness Food & Water Watch National Center for Appropriate Technology Ford Foundation National Center for Fire and Life Safety Free Press National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome Girl Scouts of the USA National Committee for Responsive Girls Inc. Philanthropy Global Integrity National Council of Behavioral Health Goodwill Industries International, Inc. National Council of Churches Grantmakers for Effective Organizations National Council of Nonprofits Greater Nonprofits National Council of Tribes GuideStar National Dance Education Organization Habitat for Humanity International National Hartford Centers of Gerontological Harbor Compliance Nursing Excellence HawkWatch International National Human Services Assembly Hindu American Foundation National Indian Child Welfare Association Histiocytosis Foundation National LGBTQ Task Force Horizons National National Organization for Albinism and Human Science Institute Hypopigmentation Independent Sector National Runaway Safeline International Essential Tremor Foundation National Safe Place Network International Hearing Dog, Inc. National Tongan American Society International Performing Arts for Youth NEO Law Group International Primate Protection League North American Bramble Growers Research Issue One Foundation Jessie Ball DuPont Fund OPERA America Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action Partnership for America's Children Jewish Council for Public Affairs Pension Fund of the Christian Church Jewish Federations of North America Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement Leadership USA Project Wet Foundation League of American Orchestras Project Managers Without Borders League of Women Voters Public Citizen Leukemia Research Foundation Rockefeller Brothers Fund Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Secular Coalition for America Arts in Education Senior Executives Association Lumina Foundation Seva Foundation Lymphoma Foundation of America Skillman Foundation Migraine Research Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation Millennium Water Alliance Smith’s Food and Drug Mentors International Social Velocity Morino Ventures, LLC The Arc of the United States National 4-H Council The Aspen Institute Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship UPDATED October 1, 2018 Page 4 The Association of Junior Leagues Coosa Riverkeeper International, Inc. Empowered to Conquer The Commonwealth Fund The Dibble