Coalition of Nonprofit Groups Protests Lobbying Curbs

A coalition of nearly 300 nonprofit advocacy and charitable organizations has criticized a House Republican proposal to severely limit the groups’ lobbying activity if they receive federal funds for their service programs.

The proposed legislation would limit nonprofits’ spending on political activity to 5% of the non-government money they receive, down from 20%.

The law already bars them from spending federal money on lobbying. But conservatives maintain that the $39 billion those groups receive for social service programs amounts to “federal subsidies,” some of which is improperly spent on political lobbying.

Among the groups protesting the GOP proposal at a news conference this week were the American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts of America, Catholic Charities USA and the evangelical relief agency World Vision.

Republicans point out that the law would apply to groups across the political spectrum. “True charities shouldn’t have any problem with our proposal,” said Rep. Ernest J. Istook Jr. (R-Okla.), one of the bill’s co-sponsors. “Those who are complaining the loudest are more interested in being political action groups than serving as charities, and they want to do it with taxpayers’ money.”

Opponents of the GOP plan say the group will hurt moderate and liberal groups the most because many conservative advocacy groups do not provide charitable services, so they have no need for federal money.

The groups opposed to the bill are a diverse lot. Some--the American Friends (Quakers) Service Committee, Americans for Democratic Action, National Council of La Raza and the Southern Environmental Law Center--are widely regarded as having a liberal social agenda.

Others--the American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and United Way of America--defy stereotype.

And some, such as the U.S. Catholic Conference, are umbrella agencies for charitable and advocacy groups that, depending on the issue, take varying positions.

Sara Melendez, president of Independent Sector, which represents about 800 nonprofit corporate, foundation and private groups, said at a news conference that “to argue that nonprofit organizations receiving federal grants should be barred from substantial advocacy reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the historic relationship between nonprofits and government.”

She said nonprofits that provide charitable services and advocate a particular policy position benefit the public because they provide an alternative point of view to that of the government.

“No one knows better the extent of a community’s needs for services or how best to improve the effectiveness of federal programs than the nonprofits on the front lines of service delivery,” she said.

Among the other religiously affiliated groups in the Independent Sector coalition are: American Jewish Congress, Baptist Joint Committee, Church World Service, Council of Jewish Federations, Lutheran World Relief, National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ.