Congressional leaders are, right now, writing the bill to fund the government through the rest of the current fiscal year. This "must pass" bill is attracting many controversial issues - like anti- Johnson Amendment language - that would not pass as free-standing bills. Congressional leaders are negotiating today and over the next few days deciding what will go into the bill. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the person who has the job of setting the House floor schedule, said that he is aiming to vote on the omnibus spending bill this week, as in March 15 or 16. We anticipate one of the riders will be an attempt to repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment, the longstanding law that protects 501(c)(3) organizations from partisan political endorsements and activities. The Johnson Amendment protections ensure that nonprofits are nonpartisan problem solvers in their communities ­not political organizations. Today the Nonprofit Quarterly published  New Threat in Congress to Politicize Nonprofits and Foundations an article about the threat to repeal the Johnson Amendment and what that would mean to all of us .
 
NPCC has told our Congressional leaders to protect nonprofit nonpartisanship. We need your voice to fight for nonprofit nonpartisanship! Learn about quick and easy actions you can take to encourage Congress to protect nonprofit nonpartisanship and preserve the Johnson Amendment. 

Call or tweet your Congressperson, particularly Congresswoman Nita Lowey (Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee in the House) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and tell them "The vast nonprofit community strongly supports the Johnson Amendment, the longstanding law that protects charitable organizations, houses of worship, and foundations from caustic, partisan politics. We expect you to oppose any attempt to attach a rider to the omnibus spending bill that would repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment. Nonprofits are counting on the [Representative/Senator] to preserve nonprofit nonpartisanship.

If you're tweeting, you can use: .Representative's/Senator's Twitter Handle No anti-Johnson Amendment rider on the omnibus spending bill. #Nonprofits are effective because they focus on #CommunityNotCandidates. Maintain #JohnsonAmendment  http://bit.ly/2nV6SQI [Don't forget the period in front of the Congressperson's name.]
 
We know that you are busy, and we appreciate all that you do for your communities and the nonprofit community. Thank you for taking two minutes to stand up for nonprofit nonpartisanship!


Sharon Stapel
President & Executive Director