"SNEAK" PROVISION IN JOBS BILL ALLOWS
FREE PASS FROM IRS REGS,
PULPIT POLITICKING BY CLERGY
Update June 15, 2004
House Committee Scuttles Plan To Allow Church Electioneering
Tuesday June 15, 2004Americans United Hails Removal Of 'Safe Harbor' Provisions
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has hailed yesterday's vote by a House committee to remove provisions from a tax bill that would have allowed houses of worship to intervene in partisan politics.
The so-called "Safe Harbor for Churches" section of the "American Jobs Creation Act of 2004" (H.R. 4520) would have revised current law, which forbids churches from endorsing candidates for public office, and replaced it with watered-down language giving churches the right to intervene in electoral politics.
The House Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously last night to remove the provisions after it became clear that the proposed change had no support.
"Far from creating a 'safe harbor,' this scheme would have set houses of worship adrift on the stormy seas of partisan politics," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "I'm glad the committee decided to torpedo it.
"Americans do not want to see their churches politicized," continued Lynn. "Our houses of worship are already free to speak out on public concerns, and they don't need politicians trying to turn them into cogs in a political machine."
The church politicking provisions would have allowed religious leaders to "unintentionally" endorse or oppose candidates up to three times per year. Under current law, a house of worship can lose its tax-exempt status for intervening in partisan politics.
Some Washington observers noted that the provisions were quietly placed in the tax bill at the same time that the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign was waging an outreach effort to "friendly congregations."
The 'Safe Harbor' provisions ran into trouble from the start. Shortly after their place in the bill was discovered, officials with the Southern Baptist Convention and other Religious Right groups announced they would not support the language. Organizations that promote separation of church and state also attacked it. With the move garnering virtually no support from any quarter, its backers agreed to withdraw it.
AU's Lynn warned, however, that the battle over church politicking is still under way. He noted that U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-N.C.) is promoting a bill that would remove language from the IRS Code and allow houses of worship to engage in politicking with no penalties.
"We won this skirmish in Congress, but the larger battle is far from over," Lynn said. "We will continue to vigorously oppose misguided schemes that would politicize America's houses of worship."
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance
Letters, Faxes, E-Mail, Calls Needed NOW To Stop "Safe Harbor For Churches"
A measure added to a jobs funding fill presently in the U.S. House of Representatives would encourage churches to support political candidates and while establishing penalties for up to three "unintentional" endorsements made by clerics. This would allow religious leaders and houses of worship to engage in partisan electioneering with no danger of loosing this tax exempt status.
Known as the "Safe Harbor for Churches" provision, the proposal was smuggled into a 379-page appropriations bill known as the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (HR 4520). This comes after repeated failures to pass legislation that would allow houses of worship to become actively involved in partisan political campaigns and even raise money for candidates while maintaining their privileged nonprofit tax exemption.
The measure was introduced following revelations that the Bush-Cheney campaign has been reaching out to 1,600 "friendly congregations" in Pennsylvania to mobilize conservative Christians. Critics say that the plan is part of a larger nationwide strategy encouraging religious groups and leaders to become even more involved in supporting the Bush White House social and political agenda.
CONGRESS NEEDS TO HEAR FROM US NOW!
HR 4520 could come to the House floor as early as next week. We need to flood Capitol Hill with letters, faxes, e-mails and phone calls urging Representatives to vote "No" on this bill unless the "Safe Harbor for Churches" provision is removed. Check out our TIPS ON CONTACTING CONGRESS and locate your Representative.
* Contact your elected Representative as soon as possible!
* If you are in an Atheist, Freethought, Secular Humanist or other nonbeliever group, urge your fellow members to take action to stop the "Safe Harbor" provision!
* Write letters to the editor of your local paper speaking out on this unconstitutional and discriminatory legislation!
* Visit our writing tips and Contact
Congress pages.
* Clergy and individuals in religious congregations already have the right to endorse political candidates. This is guaranteed under the First Amendment. What cannot and should not be permitted, though, is to allow clerical leaders and houses of worship to engage in blatant politicking while still retaining their privileged tax-exempt status!
* This proposed measure is a "wink and nod" signal to encourage religious leaders to violate the law. It encourages congregations to become involved in political campaigns as religious entities.
* The "Safe Harbor" provision claims to address a problem that does not exist. In doing so, it further blurs the line separating church and state.
* Blatant politicking by religious leaders and groups is already a major problem. Houses of worship often violate election laws by inviting select candidates to appear, or when clergy use the pulpit as a political podium to endorse those running for public office.
* If religious leaders or organizations wish to become politically active, they may do so; but they must adhere to election regulations, and not use a tax-exempt entity -- a church, mosque, or temple -- to engage in partisan campaigning. The "Safe Harbor for Churches" provision is a "free pass" from the enforcement of laws that all other political groups must obey when endorsing and supporting candidates.
Send us copies of your letters, and we
will post a selection of them on this web site.
(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for
nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses
issues of First Amendment public policy.)
TALKING POINTS
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