Independent Sector Urged Congress to Enact Charitable Giving Incentives and Charitable Reforms

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Independent Sector urged House-Senate conferees on the tax reconciliation bill to ensure that both incentives for charitable giving and reforms are enacted into law. Diana Aviv, president and CEO, sent the following letter to Chairmen Grassley and Thomas and Ranking Members Baucus and Rangel on May 3.

Learn more about the tax reconciliation legislation, download a pdf of this letter, and see the letter Independent Sector and more than 20 charitable organizations sent to Congress.

May 3, 2006

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley, Chairman
Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable William M. Thomas, Chairman
House Committee on Ways and Means
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Max S. Baucus, Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Charles B. Rangel, Ranking Member
House Committee on Ways and Means
1106 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairmen Grassley and Thomas and Ranking Members Baucus and Rangel:

I am writing on behalf of Independent Sector to express our strong support for the package of charitable giving tax incentives and reforms that has been amended and offered by the Joint Committee on Taxation and Senate Finance Committee staff for inclusion in the final conference bill for the Tax Relief Act of 2005 (H.R. 4297).

Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of more than 500 charitable and philanthropic institutions, which collectively represents tens of thousands of charitable groups as well as millions of donors and volunteers serving a wide range of causes in regions across the country. We have worked since our inception to assist our member organizations to meet the highest standards of ethical practice, accountability, and effectiveness. We assembled the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, a broad effort by thousands of charitable nonprofit organizations that presented to Congress a comprehensive package of legislative reforms that would strengthen government oversight, accountability and transparency of charitable organizations, and public trust in the important work of charitable organizations in June 2005.

The package of charitable incentives and reforms that is now being offered to the conference by the Senate Finance Committee will strengthen the work of our sector by deterring and punishing abuses by individuals who exploit charitable organizations for their personal gain, without imposing unnecessary costs or hardships on reputable charities. Moreover, the proposed reforms strike the right balance between legitimate government oversight and protecting the independence that charitable organizations need to remain innovative and effective. We strongly encourage you to include them in the tax bill you are now debating.

Sincerely,

Diana Aviv
President and CEO

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Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 charities, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the charitable community.