The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Greg Baylor, director of the ADF Center for Religious Schools, regarding U.S. Sen. James Lankford and U.S. Rep. Greg Steube’s introduction of the Safeguarding Charity Act Thursday, a bill to reaffirm that tax-exempt status does not constitute “federal financial assistance” that would trigger multiple burdensome federal laws under which charities and other nonprofits could lose their exemption:
“Charities and other nonprofits provide invaluable services to their communities and have enjoyed tax-exempt status for years in order to devote scarce resources to serving those in need. Until recently, the government did not treat this exemption as federal funding that triggers several burdensome statutes and their implementing regulations, but some courts have drifted from that original vision. The Safeguarding Charity Act simply reaffirms that a non-profit’s tax-exempt status is not ‘federal financial assistance’ and protects non-profits from red tape that would undermine their ability to serve their communities. ADF commends Sen. Lankford and Rep. Steube for introducing the Safeguarding Charity Act to protect nonprofits from these significant burdens so that nonprofits can continue to serve their communities free from unwarranted and unexpected government overreach.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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