Act to Protect the Johnson Amendment in Conference Committee

From Americans United for Separation of Church and State (http://www.au.org):

Thank you to everyone who contacted your Senators last week! You raised your voice, and a damaging provision to repeal the Johnson Amendment stayed out of the Senate tax plan.

But the fight isn’t yet over. Because a repeal is included in the House bill (Section 5201), there is still a chance that the Johnson Amendment — a vital protection for the independence and integrity of our houses of worship and charitable nonprofits — will be targeted. Section 5201 would allow political operatives and powerful donors to pressure our churches and other nonprofits to endorse or oppose candidates for public office. The proposed change would also make political donations — for the first time ever — tax-deductible when funneled through houses of worship, charitable nonprofits and foundations.

As people of faith who care deeply about the health and vitality of our houses of worship, now is the time to speak up! Your Senators and Representative need to hear from you again.

Step One: Call your Representative and Senators (Capitol switchboard: 202-225-3121) and deliver this important message: 

“I’m a constituent and I’m calling in opposition to a very harmful provision, Section 5201, in the House’s tax bill that would weaken the Johnson Amendment and politicize houses of worship, charitable nonprofits, and foundations against our wishes. This harmful provision is now in a conference committee. It is imperative that [NAME OF Senator/Representative] reaches out to every member of the conference committee and tells them the Johnson Amendment language in the House bill must be stripped from the final bill. Thank you.”

Alternatively, call directly—find contact information:

• Senator Robert Casey: http://casey.senate.gov
• Senator Pat Toomey: http://toomey.senate.gov
• Your Representative: http://www.house.gov

Step Two: Tweet! Find Twitter handles for PA legislators below, and let them know how politicizing houses of worship and charitable nonprofits would harm their ability to serve the community. Here are some sample tweets:

• The #JohnsonAmendment protects the integrity and autonomy of my house of worship. [TWITTER HANDLE], please remove House Sec. 5201 from the final #taxreform bill and keep #JohnsonAmendment in place.
• I’m asking [TWITTER HANDLE] to protect houses of worship by removing House Sec. 5201 from the final #taxreform bill. The #JohnsonAmendment is good for churches. Read this letter I signed: Faith-Voices.org
• As a person of faith, I want my house of worship to remain sacred, not endorse candidates. Please, [TWITTER HANDLE], keep the #JohnsonAmendment: ask tax conferees to remove House Sec. 5201 from the final #taxreform bill.

PA Member of Congress Twitter Handles

• Bob Casey: @SenBobCasey
• Pat Toomey: @SenToomey
• Bob Brady (PA-1): @RepBrady
• Dwight Evans (PA-2): @RepDwightEvans
• Mike Kelly (PA-3): @MikeKellyPA
• Scott Perry (PA-4): @RepScottPerry
• Glenn Thompson (PA-5): @CongressmanGT
• Ryan Costello (PA-6): @RepRyanCostello
• Pat Meehan (PA-7): @RepMeehan
• Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-8): @RepBrianFitz
• Bill Shuster (PA-9): @RepBillShuster
• Tom Marino (PA-10): @RepTomMarino
• Lou Barletta (PA-11): @RepLouBarletta
• Keith Rothfus (PA-12): @RepRothfus
• Brendan Boyle (PA-13): @CongBoyle
• Mike Doyle (PA-14): @USRepMikeDoyle
• Charlie Dent (PA-15): @RepCharlieDent
• Lloyd Smucker (PA-16): @RepSmucker
• Matt Cartwright (PA-17): @RepCartwright