This morning, Independent Sector joined with our partners and colleagues at the Council on Foundations and the National Council of Nonprofits to place an ad in Roll Call to strongly urge lawmakers to keep changes to the Johnson Amendment out of final tax reform legislation negotiations.
The House-passed tax reform bill includes a provision that would substantially weaken the 63-year-old law that protects nonprofit nonpartisanship, and we are working to ensure that proposal is not included when the House and Senate conference committee issues its conference report.
Save the Johnson Amendment. What Else?
Potential change to the Johnson Amendment are troublesome, but there are also a number of other provisions in both the House and Senate tax bills that could be collectively catastrophic for nonprofit organizations and the people we serve. From charitable giving to the treatment of investment income and classification of business activities by nonprofits, the very foundation of how our organizations operate is at risk. For these reasons, we have continued to urge our elected officials to vote against the final reform packages taking shape.
What does this all mean for the charitable community? We’ve developed resources, including a summary and dashboard, to walk through the biggest issues impacting charitable organizations and their potential impact, as well as what remains in play for the conference committee to reconcile.
What Can I Do Now?
Join the tens of thousands of voices across the country who have spoken up to protect the Johnson Amendment. Send a message to your Members of Congress today and urge them to weigh in on this issue. We’re continuing to advocate and to fight, and as we learn more, we’ll provide additional opportunities to engage.
