Coalition of More Than 100 Organizations and Individuals Endorse the Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech Act |
By CFIF Staff
Wednesday, February 07 2018 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a broad coalition made up of more than 100 of the nation’s most influential conservative and libertarian organizations and individuals, led by the Center for Individual Freedom ("CFIF"), sent a letter to Congress announcing its endorsement and urging swift passage of the Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech Act, H.R. 4916. The legislation, sponsored by Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), will help protect First Amendment freedoms of speech and association by eliminating the 990 Schedule B form requirement for 501(c) organizations. Schedule B, which is a mandatory IRS form for nonprofit organizations, lists the names, addresses and other intimate information of certain donors. It is intended to remain private and confidential. Indeed, the IRS is legally prohibited from actually using the sensitive information it collects on Schedule B forms for any meaningful purpose. The agency’s collection and retention of that information, however, has resulted in persecution and targeting by not only IRS and other government officials with access, but also hackers, cyberstalkers and political extremists unwilling to tolerate political and policy views with which they disagree. "As acknowledged by the IRS itself, Schedule B information is inapplicable to the legally permissible handling of 501(c) organization tax filings," the letter reads. "Eliminating Schedule B will not only make tax compliance easier, but also help limit the ability of the IRS and others, including state officials with access to the information, to chill free speech and civic participation among the public." Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed identical legislation. "There simply is no justification for the IRS to continue to collect this confidential information," said CFIF President Jeffrey Mazzella. "Congress should therefore act without delay to pass this important legislation, which will help limit the ongoing threat to private individuals of targeting and abuse for simply supporting causes in which they believe. Our broad coalition stands united in that goal." Read the text of the letter below. View a PDF version of the letter here. February 7, 2018 The Honorable Peter Roskam Dear Congressman Roskam, On behalf of millions of taxpayers across America, we write to endorse the Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech Act, H.R. 4916, and urge its swift passage. This important legislation, an identical version of which was passed by the House of Representatives last year, will help prevent future Internal Revenue Service (IRS) abuse and protect First Amendment freedoms of speech and association by eliminating the Schedule B form for 501(c) organizations that contain sensitive identifiable information on contributors to those 501(c) organizations. As acknowledged by the IRS itself, Schedule B information is inapplicable to the legally permissible handling of 501(c) organization tax filings. Eliminating Schedule B will not only make tax compliance easier, but also help limit the ability of the IRS and others, including state officials with access to the information, to chill free speech and civic participation among the public. As you are well aware, First Amendment free speech and association rights have come under assault in recent years, with the IRS at the center of the misbehavior. In multiple high-profile confirmed cases, the IRS has leaked sensitive, private Schedule B information that it had no right or business making public. As only one example, the agency agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) after an IRS official provided NOM's Schedule B to the adversarial organization Human Rights Campaign, which proceeded to publish it. Revelations of leaked information, in addition to instances in which the IRS targeted organizations on the basis of perceived ideology, policy positions and names to deny or delay approval of nonprofit legal status, demonstrate that the threat to freedoms of speech, association and petitioning of government are all too real. Congress must therefore take this opportunity as tax reform begins to strengthen First Amendment protections and prevent future IRS abuse, given the agency's established record of negligent oversight and outright abuse of power. The Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech Act would address those important goals, and constitute a victory for private citizens and organizations across the political spectrum. For their part, IRS officials have gone on record in support of eliminating the Schedule B form requirement for some 501(c) classifications. As reported, in December 2015, for example, IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Tamara Ripperda addressed the possibility of eliminating the Schedule B: The IRS is considering eliminating Schedule B of the Form 990, which asks for the names and addresses of an exempt organization's contributors and for certain information about contributions received. Tax analysts reported that, at a program sponsored by the Urban Institute, Tammy Ripperda (Director of Exempt Organizations at the IRS) questioned whether the IRS should ask for the names and addresses of contributors, given that this information is not made public, and whether there is a need for the information from a federal tax law enforcement standpoint. It is therefore clear that the Schedule B form requirement is unnecessary, and only perpetuates the possibility of abuse by IRS officials or outside wrongdoers, including state officials with access to the information. Accordingly, we urge all Members of Congress to support H.R. 4916, legislation that will finally eliminate the Schedule B form requirement for 501(c) groups. Sincerely, Jeffrey Mazzella Leigh Hixon Lisa B. Nelson Michael Farris Phil Kerpen Steve Pociask Allen Hebert, Chairman Dan Schneider Sean Noble Mark J. Fitzgibbons Tim Wildmon Brent Wm. Gardner Grover Norquist Brenda Baller Rich Bott, President Will Swaim Steve Buckstein Andrew F. Quinlan Olivia Grady Chuck Muth Twila Brase RN, PHN William L. Walton Dawn Wildman Kent Lassman Dan Caldwell Penny Nance Richard A. Viguerie James N. Clymer Matthew Kandrach Ron Pearson Tom Schatz Katie McAuliffe Rebekah Gantner Tim Hoefer Grant Callen Gary Marx Chad Connelly Paul Weber James C. Dobson Ph.D. Tarren Bragdon Brian Minnich Nathan Nascimento Adam Brandon George Landrith David Barnes Victor Riches Christopher L. Carmouche Joseph R.Gregory Mario Lopez John Tillman Carrie L. Lukas Heather R. Higgins Andrew Langer Kory Swanson Samuel B. Casey Dave Trabert Seton Motley Connor Boyack Mat Staver Penny Pullen The Honorable Bob McEwen L. Brent Bozell III Cleta Mitchell, Esq. Gregg Keller Brent Mead Ted Baehr Willes K Lee Chris W. Cox Pete Sepp John A. Tsarpalas Jonathan Small Sally C. Pipes Caroline Lewis Ed Martin Jim Vokal Lorenzo Montanari Nancy Schulze Joe Calvert Mike Stenhouse The Honorable Richard T. Schulze (R-PA) James L. Martin Karen Kerrigan Tracie Sharp Kristan Hawkins David Williams Judson Phillips Jenny Beth Martin Lynn Taylor Robert Alt Brett Healy Daniel Garza Matthew Gagnon Charles Sauer Stephen T. Whelan C. Preston Noell III Bill Dallas Dann Mead Smith David A Keene Alan P. Dye Floyd Brown J C White Somers H. White |
Related Articles : |