wfn.org | Bill would clarify limits on church-sponsored lobbying

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Note #6868 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

28-September-2001
01351

Bill would clarify limits on church-sponsored lobbying

by Kevin Eckstrom
Religion News Service

WASHINGTON - A bill recently introduced in Congress would allow churches to
spend 20 percent of their money on lobbying and up to 5 percent on
campaigning for or against individual candidates without risk of losing
their tax-exempt status.

	Rep. Phil Crane, R?Ill., introduced the "Bright-Line Act of 2001," which
would make clear how much churches can engage in political activities.
Currently, churches are allowed to push political causes as long as such
activities do not constitute a "substantial" part of the congregation's work
- widely interpreted to be about 5 percent.

	"Given the state of confusion surrounding the activities allowed by
religious organizations, I believe it's time that Congress draw a bright
line between sanctioned and unsanctioned activities that religious groups
can participate in," Crane said.

	So far, Crane's bill has the support of two leading House Republicans -
Majority Leader Dick Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay, both of Texas. The
bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, where Crane is the
No. 2 Republican.

    The proposal is indirectly related to a bill sponsored by Rep. Walter
Jones, R-N.C. The Jones bill, which is supported by many conservative
groups, is less specific but would also allow churches and other houses of
worship to engage in political activities without losing their tax-exempt
status from the Internal Revenue Service. Jones said churches that speak out
on moral and political issues have been harassed by the IRS and liberal
interest groups that disagree with their message.

	Crane spokesman Randy Skoglund said the bill "makes clear, very clear, to
churches and government what actions church can take." Skoglund said the
bill also takes the decision out of the hands of the IRS and judges, who
have interpreted the law differently.

	While the Crane bill has the support of the Traditional Values Coalition,
it is opposed by a leading Washington watchdog group, Americans United for
Separation of Church and State. Its executive director, the Rev. Barry Lynn,
said he opposes this bill as much as he opposes the Jones proposal because
it would "corrupt" churches by turning them into "political action
committees."

	"I wouldn't quarrel with the idea of specifying the (appropriate) amount
for lobbying, but the best percentage for partisan campaigning is zero,"
Lynn said.
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