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Public Policy
Independent Sector Policy Update
October 5, 2005
Join IS in Sending Letter to Congress on Health Care Relief for Hurricane Survivors
The Senate Finance Committee has approved the bipartisan Emergency Health Care Relief Act (S. 1716), which would provide immediate Medicaid coverage for a temporary period for low-income survivors of Hurricane Katrina, as well as a mechanism for survivors with private heath insurance to maintain their coverage. Several senators on the Finance Committee have expressed their intention to move ahead with this legislation despite opposition from the White House.
Independent Sector strongly supports this legislation, because it is imperative to get this assistance to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina as quickly as possible. It is also essential that the federal government cover the costs of additional Medicaid coverage for Katrina survivors.
Take Action
IS has drafted a letter supporting this legislation which we intend to send to Congress. A similar letter will be sent to President Bush.
We strongly encourage public charities and their affiliates to sign on to the congressional letter and indicate whether you are also interested in signing on to the letter to President Bush. We ask that you distribute this letter to your networks as quickly as possible. If your organization is able to sign onto this letter, please contact IS's Director of Government Relations Steven Bloom by email at stevenb@independentsector.org or by telephone at 202-467-6102.
Charitable Giving Incentives Included in Hurricane Relief Package
The recently enacted Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act contains several items of importance to the charitable sector, including a temporary suspension of the income limits on new individual cash charitable donations and corporate cash charitable donations for Katrina relief in 2005. The enhanced charitable deduction for individual cash donations applies to all charities, not just charities engaged in work related to Hurricane Katrina. The suspension of limits will only be effective through December 2005.
CARE Act and Charitable Giving Bills Introduced
The CARE Act (S. 1780) was reintroduced by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) on September 28. Representatives Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Harold Ford (D-TN) have also introduced companion legislation (H.R. 3908). Both bills include a number of important charitable giving incentives, including an IRA charitable rollover and deductions for charitable donations for taxpayers who do not itemize. The two measures are essentially the same as legislation that was passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate in the previous Congress. IS strongly favors this legislation.
IS Files Comments on Proposed Federal Rule for Issue Ads
Independent Sector filed comments (PDF) with the Federal Election Commission urging the Commission to keep its current exemption from electioneering communications restrictions for 501(c)(3) organizations. "Electioneering communications" are currently defined as broadcast ads distributed for a fee that refer to a candidate for federal office aired within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election. Among the options under consideration by the FEC are: narrowing the 501(c)(3) exemption; repealing it; or replacing it with a broad new exemption that covers all communications that do not “promote, support, attack or oppose” a federal candidate. The FEC is not proposing to further define the phrase “promote, support, attack or oppose.” It issued the new rules after a federal District Court sent back some of the commission's earlier campaign finance rules for revision. A hearing will be held on October 19.
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