| Issue |
Bill |
House |
Senate |
Final |
IS Position |
| Advocacy |
HR 235, the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, would permit church leaders to express views on elections during regular religious services without violating campaign finance laws or losing tax-exempt status |
Introduced by Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) on 1/4/05. Referred to House Ways & Means Committee |
Similar legislation, S
3957, was introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) on 9/27/06 |
|
Independent Sector opposes the elimination of current restrictions
on engagement in partisan political activity by charitable nonprofit
organizations.
IS letter to House on a different version of HR 235 in the 108th Congress |
Advocacy
|
HR 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act, would reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and create an Affordable Housing Fund, but would also disqualify nonprofits that engage in lobbying or nonpartisan election-related activities from applying for grants from the new fund. |
Passed by the House on 10/26/05 |
|
|
IS sent a letter (PDF) to the Financial Services Committee leadership and House leadership stressing strong opposition to the proposed anti-advocacy provisions, as well as a sign-on letter to key leaders in the House. |
Charitable Reforms and Incentives
|
HR
4, the pension reform bill includes charitable giving incentives
and charitable safeguards.
|
Passed by the House 7/28/06 |
Passed by the Senate on 8/3/065 |
Signed into law by the President on 8/17/06 |
Independent Sector supports many or the charitable
provisions in this bill. More |
| Charitable Giving |
S
1780, The CARE Act provides incentives to increase
charitable giving
Many provisions
were included in the pension reform bill HR 4.
|
|
Introduced
on 9/28/05 by Senators Santorum and Lieberman |
|
Independent Sector supports legislation that would increase charitable donations.
More |
| Charitable Giving |
HR 3908, the Charitable Giving Act provides incentives to increase charitable giving |
Introduced on 9/27/05 by Reps Blunt and Ford |
|
|
Independent Sector supports legislation that would increase charitable donations.
More |
| Charitable Giving |
HR
1607, S
1366, the Public Good
IRA Rollover Act, would allow tax-free distributions to charities
from individual retirement accounts
|
HR 1607 was introduced by Rep. Herger on 4/14/05 |
S
1366 was introduced by Sen. Dorgan on 6/30/05
|
HR
4, which contains a similar IRA rollover provision was signed
by the President on 8/17/06 |
Independent Sector supports HR 1607/ S 1366 because it would give donors the flexibility to make direct charitable contributions from their IRAs without incurring adverse tax consequences. More
|
| Estate Tax |
HR
8, S
420 would permanently repeal the estate tax
HR
5638 and HR
5970 would nearly repeal the estate tax. |
HR
8 was passed by the House on 4/13/05.
HR 5638 was passed on 6/22/06.
HR 5970 was passed on 7/28/06.
|
Vote to bring HR 8 to the Senate
floor failed 57-41 on 6/8/06.
Vote to proceed on HR 5970 failed 56-42 on 8/3/06
|
|
Independent Sector opposes estate tax reductions that would negatively
impact gifts to charity and shrink state and federal revenue. More
|
| Nonprofit Communications |
S
714 the Junk Fax Prevention Act, would
restore the "established business relationship" exemption,
which was repealed by the FCC. The bill also requires an opt-out for
recipients who no longer want to receive certain faxes. |
S 714
Approved by the House on 6/28/05 |
S
714 Amended version passed by the Senate
on 6/24/05
|
Signed by the President July 9, 2005 |
Independent Sector supports this legislation. IS also filed comments with the FCC in 2003 requesting that faxes from nonprofits in pursuit of their tax-exempt purpose be exempt from the rule. More |
| Charitable Deductions |
S 372, HR 1120, the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, would allow artists to claim fair market value deductions for works they donate |
HR 1120 introduced by Rep. Ramstad on 3/3/05 |
S
372 introduced by Senator Leahy on 2/14/05 |
|
|
| Charitable Deductions |
S 94, Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Act, would extend and enhance the deduction for contributions of food inventory |
|
Introduced by Senator Lugar 1/24/05. |
|
|
| Charitable Deductions |
HR 2786, S1186, the Art and Collectibles Capital Gains Tax Treatment Parity Act would lower the tax rate for art investments and give broader charitable deductions for artists for donations of their work |
HR 2786 introduced by Rep. Tom Reynolds 6/705 |
S 1186 introduced by Sen Domenici 6/7/05. |
|
|
| Charitable Reforms |
S 993, would place a 100 percent excise tax on the acquisition costs of certain life insurance contracts purchased by charities, but which primarily benefit unrelated private investors |
|
Introduced by Senators Grassley and
Baucus 5/10/05 |
|
|
| Charitable Giving |
HR
2534, S
2688, Personal Philanthropy Account, would permit taxpayers to
take tax deductions on charitable cash contributions made through
trusts designated as personal philanthropy accounts |
HR 2534, introduced on 5/23/05 by Rep. Nathan Deal
(R-GA). Referred to the House Ways and Means Committee |
S 2688, introduced by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) on
5/1/06. Referred to the Finance Committee |
|
|
| Charitable Donation
-- treatment in bankruptcy |
S
4044, Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Clarification
Act, would allow individuals to continue making charitable donations
while in bankruptcy |
|
S
4044 was introduced 9/29/06 by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and
Barack Obama (D-IL) and passed on 9/30/06 |
S. 4044 was passed by the House on
12/6/06 and cleared for the President |
|
| Nonprofit Liability |
S
1125, the Expanding Charitable and Volunteer Opportunities
Act would protect a business entity from civil liability for any injury
or death caused by the use of facilities and/or certain equipment
donated by the entity to a tax-exempt organization |
|
S 1125 introduced by Sen. Santorum on 5/25/05 and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary |
|
|
| Postal Reform |
HR 22, S 662, Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, addresses fiscal issues that will affect the size and timing of the next postage increase |
HR 22
Passed by the House, 7/26/05 by a vote of 410 to 20
|
S
662 On 2/9/2006 the Senate incorporated S 662 in HR
22 and passed HR 22 in lieu of S 662
|
|
|
