Government Matters Articles

OpenTheGovernment.org Targets Secrecy in Post Ad

OpenThegovernment.org, a broad-based coalition of more than 30 groups dedicated to fighting government secrecy and strengthening open government, placed a quarter-page ad in the Washington Post Oct. 13. The primary message states, "Our Safety Depends on the Free Flow of Information … Let's Turn the Tide on Secrecy." The coalition placed the ad as part of its campaign to raise awareness about the problems of unnecessary government secrecy, which undermines public health and security. Learn more.

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New Corporate Tax Bill Limits Charitable Deductions

While conferees rejected last minute efforts to attach provisions of both the CARE Act and the Houses of Worship bill to the corporate tax bill, the legislation sent to the president does contain three provisions of particular interest to the nonprofit sector. The final bill:
  • Limits charitable deductions for vehicle donations to the sale price obtained by the charity
  • Limits the value that taxpayers can claim on the donation of a patent or intellectual property to a charity
  • Requires increased reporting for non-cash charitable contributions such as property.

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Independent Sector Names Accountability Panel

Congress recessed without taking action on Senate Finance Committee staff proposals outlined in a July discussion draft. However, the Finance Committee is pursuing the nonprofit accountability issues. It has asked Independent Sector (IS) to form a panel to recommend measures that would increase accountability and good governance in the sector. Independent Sector recently announced its panel, comprised of 25 nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from both public charities and private foundations.

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FEC To File Response to BCRA Court Ruling

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has told an appeals court it will file a statement noting which rules it will defend from a lower court ruling overturning regulations implementing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) by Nov. 8. Rules that are not appealed will have to be reconsidered by the agency. In a recent meeting FEC Vice-Chair Ellen Weintraub indicated that its exemption for Internet communications may need to be reconsidered.

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Update on Church Electioneering

The corporate tax bill has been sent out of conference without provisions from the "Free Speech Restoration Act," which would have allowed churches to endorse candidates and fund partisan electioneering activities. However, that has not stopped a rash of churches from directly or indirectly endorsing candidates this election season.

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Comments Needed on Alternative Guidelines to Prevent Terrorist Financing

A group of charitable and philanthropic organizations has released a draft "Principles of International Charity" that can be used to prevent diversion of charitable funds to terrorists. Both domestic and international nonprofits are being asked to comment on the draft, which is an alternative to the Dept. of Treasury's November 2002 guidelines. OMB Watch and other groups have called on Treasury to withdraw their guidelines .

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Gaps in Homeland Security Benefit Bush Campaign Funders

The Bush administration has weakened, opposed, or failed to initiate proposals to address security gaps that leave chemical and nuclear plants, hazardous material carriers, shipping ports, and drinking water facilities vulnerable to terrorist attacks, according to a new report that links these failures to Bush campaign funding from the very industries that oppose needed regulation.

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Recent Studies Show Lack of Enforcement of Environmental Laws

Enforcement of federal environmental law has declined significantly during the Bush years, according to several recent studies, even as the 30-year trend of environmental improvement has begun to reverse course. Declining Enforcement

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Partisan Patterns Detected in Civil Rights, Environment Decisions

Federal judges appointed by Republican administrations -- and the Bush administration in particular -- are expressing, through decisions and dissents, a marked bias against civil rights, environmental, and other public interest litigation, according to two new reports.

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Administration Continues to Suppress, Weaken Science

In three separate cases in the past month, agency scientists have claimed that government agency officials have suppressed or softened their scientific findings, allowing policies harmful to public health and the environment to be carried out despite scientific evidence of their potential harm. Antidepressants and Vioxx

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