Opponents of church electioneering are breathing a tentative sigh of relief. On Sept. 29, Rep. Bill Thomas told the first meeting of conferees that he would not consider amendments to a discussion draft of his proposed version of the corporate tax bill. The chair of the conference committee on is opposing any amendments to that bill that were not provisions or modifications to the previous already-passed Senate or House versions. However, there is still concern that the conferees could include language similar to H.R. 235 , the "Free Speech Restoration Act" which would allow religious organizations to support or oppose candidates for public office without losing their tax-exempt status. The House conferees filed approximately 41 amendments and the Senate conferees filed about 300 amendments to the discussion draft. Thomas is expected to unveil his Chairman's mark at the next meeting of conferees Oct. 4. H.R. 235 discriminates against nonreligious nonprofits by giving religious organizations rights that other 501(c)(3) groups would not have. It would also permit considerable expenditures of tax-deductible funds to publicize endorsement-sermons and other election-related presentations made during religious services or gatherings through television, radio, and other media. This soft-money loophole would hurt all nonprofits. Please see our action alert and let the conferees know this provision is a bad idea for nonprofits. The House conferees are: Bill Thomas (R-CA), Tom Delay (R-TX), Jim McCrery (R-LA), Phil Crane (R-IL), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), John Boehner (R-OH), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Lamar Smith (R-TX), Sam Johnson (R-TX), Joe Barton (R-TX), Richard Burr (R-NC),Charles Rangel (D-NY), Sander Levin (D-MI), Charles Stenholm (D-TX), George Miller (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), John Conyers, (D-MI) The Senate conferees are: Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Don Nickles (R-OK), Trent Lott (R-MS), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Craig Thomas (R-WY), Rick Santorum (R-PA), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Jim Bunning (R-MO), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Breaux (D-LA), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Bob Graham (D-FL), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), and Tom Harkin (D-IA).