Government Affairs and Advocacy
Social Current Statement on Safeguarding the Johnson Amendment
On Monday, July 7, the IRS responded to a lawsuit in which two Texas churches and an association of Christian broadcasters sued the IRS to create a broad exemption to the Johnson Amendment.
The request would overrule a longstanding protection for nonprofits that has remained the federal tax code since 1954. The Johnson Amendment details that charitable nonprofits, foundations, and religious organization that maintain a 501(c)(3) status may “not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”
The Johnson Amendment is a cornerstone of protection for our sector. It ensures that nonprofits remain focused on missions, not politics, and it preserves the public’s trust by preventing charitable organizations from becoming engaged in political campaigns. Any erosion of the amendment signals a potentially dangerous precedent that undermines the nonpartisan foundation of the sector. While this case centers on religious organizations, the implications may extend beyond houses of worship and could open the door to widespread politicization of nonprofit work.
Social Current opposes any attempt to repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment. We affirm that the amendment offers essential protections to our sector by safeguarding our integrity and upholding public trust.
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