The U.S. House of Representatives approved a Ways and Means Committee-led bill stopping the IRS from targeting donors to tax-exempt organizations. The measure, the Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech Act (H.R. 5053), passed 240-182.
"No American should fear their support of non-profit organizations will lead to targeting or harassment by the IRS. The First Amendment is the foundation of our liberties, and we have the right to criticize our nation and fight for our beliefs without fearing government retaliation," said U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee who successfully passed legislation banning the IRS from targeting Americans.
Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation who worked with House conservatives to advance the bill, said "The IRS is a rogue agency, at war with the Constitution and the American people. Every time Congress passes a bill like this, Congress stands with the American people, against governmental tyranny. Chairman Brady, Chairman Roskam and the other Members who stood against the IRS have stood with the American people. We owe these Members a debt of gratitude. "
Background: H.R. 5053 would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from collecting the identity of donors who contribute to tax-exempt organizations. Under this legislation, a tax-exempt organization would be required to report only information on donors who contribute $5,000 or more during a single tax year and who are either an officer or director of the organization or one of its five highest paid employees. This information would be excluded from public disclosure.
Current law requires section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations to report information on substantial donors. The IRS defines a substantial donor as a contributor who gives $5,000 or more to an organization in a calendar year.
While the IRS does not make this information public, there have been instances where IRS employees have improperly accessed and released the Schedule B donor list. This bill addresses the concern that the IRS is collecting sensitive information about donors who contribute to tax-exempt organizations. Although the IRS is required by law to maintain the confidentiality of this information, there have been widely reported instances in which the information was released to third parties. By limiting the contribution information tax-exempt organizations report to the IRS, the provision will protect taxpayers' identities and help prevent inappropriate political targeting by the IRS.
House Committee on Ways and Means HR 5053
Ways and Means Hearing on HR 5053
List of Organizations Supporting H.R. 5053:
60 Plus Association
Able Americans
Advance Arkansas Institute
Alabama Policy Institute
American Center for Law and Justice
American Commitment
The American Conservative Union
American Council for Capitol Formation
American Dream Foundation
American Values
Advertising, Inc.
Americans for Less Regulation
Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Competitive Enterprise
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Born Free American LLC
Campaign for Liberty
CapStand Council for Policy and Ethics
Cause of Action Institute
Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Center for Individual Freedom
Center for Worker Freedom
Citizens' Council for Health Freedom
Citizens United
Coalition for a Strong America
Commonwealth Foundation
Compact for America Educational Foundation, Inc.
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Concerned Veterans for America
Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund
Coolidge Reagan Foundation
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Digital Liberty
Family Policy Alliance
Free Speech Coalition
Freedom Alliance
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce
FreedomWorks
Frontiers of Freedom
Generation Opportunity
Grassroot Hawaii Action
Heritage Action for America
High Frontier
Hispanic Leadership Fund
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Illinois Policy Action
Independent Women's Forum
Independent Women's Voice
Institute for Energy Research
Institute for Liberty
Institute for Policy Innovation
The James Madison Institute
Jeffersonian Project
Kansas Policy Institute
The Leadership Institute
Less Government
Let Freedom Ring
Libertas Institute
Liberty Messenger USA
The LIBRE Initiative
The Madison Coalition
Main Street Growth Project
Media Research Center
Movie to Movement
National Federation of Republican Assemblies
National Pro-Life Alliance
National Rifle Association
National Taxpayers Union
Next Generation Freedom Fund
One Day In America
Property Rights Alliance
Put Growth First
R Street Institute
Reaching America
Republican Jewish Coalition
Rio Grande Foundation
Rule of Law Defense Fund
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council
State Policy Network
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Tea Party Nation
Tea Party Patriots
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Traditional Values Coalition
United States Justice Foundation
Vote America Now
The Weyrich Lunch
Women for Democracy in America, Inc.
Read this original document at: http://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399787