wfn.org | Lutherans Oppose Restrictions in Campaign Finance Reform

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 9, 1998

LUTHERANS OPPOSE RESTRICTIONS IN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
98-13-079-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is on
record as a strong supporter of campaign finance reform.  Title I is not
reform," the Rev. Russell O. Siler, director of the Lutheran Office for
Governmental Affairs in Washington, D.C., wrote March 24 to members of the
U.S. House of Representatives.  "We strongly oppose the oppressive
restrictions on nonprofit advocacy contained in Title I of H.R. 3485, the
Campaign Reform and Election Integrity Act."
     While the bill does not mention religious organizations by name, it
would affect organizations covered under Section 501 of Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) regulations, which includes religious organizations.  The
legislation would require such organizations to send annual reports to each
of their members with specific plans for "political activities" in the next
year, including an estimate of how much each member will spend on those
activities and a form to bar the organization from spending that amount for
the projected activities.  The bill would prohibit "501 organizations" from
spending any more than the projected dollars minus the total indicated on
returned forms.
     The legislation would also change the IRS definition of "political
activities" from influencing elections and legislative processes to include
any activity that may influence a federal regulation.
     The ELCA supports current laws which prohibit all nonprofits,
including religious organizations, from partisan political activity, said
Siler.  "At the same time, our church holds to the principle that it is our
responsibility and our right to speak out on public policy matters,
especially as they affect the most vulnerable people in our society."
     "The history of our nation is filled with countless illustrations of
nonprofit organizations, both religious and secular, that have helped shape
the policies which affect our citizens," wrote Siler.  Title I "would do
untold harm to the cooperative partnership of service, education and public
policy development now functioning in our society."
     "At times our voices have been in opposition to proposals or actions,
but most often we have worked in partnership with governments at all
levels," he said.  "The provisions of Title I would not only stifle those
voices, but would impinge dangerously on the churches' constitutional right
to determine how to conduct their internal affairs."
     The House Oversight Committee approved the campaign finance
legislation March 18.  The committee's chairman, Rep. William Thomas
(R-Calif. 21st), authored the new nonprofit provision.
     "If this legislation stands, every one of us will be muzzled on
public policy," the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., wrote March 20 to
church leaders.  She suggested Title I was "cleverly attached to an issue
we care about, campaign finance reform," to give legislators an excuse to
vote against the measure.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html