NTU members deserve a pat on the back for their hard work in the on-going fight against IRS-overreach. For months, NTU and other grassroots organizations (categorized under section 501(c)(4) of the Tax Code) have been engaged in an uphill battle against an oppressive new IRS rule proposal that would significantly restrict our ability to educate citizens and hold elected officials accountable. Thanks to your help however, this silencing of free speech has been thwarted...for now.
After concerned citizens filed an overwhelming number of comments with the IRS to oppose the rule – thousands of which came from NTU members – IRS Commissioner Koskinen announced yesterday that the rule will not be finalized this year. So, it’s clear that taxpayers have won the first round.
According to Koskinen:
During the comment period, which ended in February, we received more than 150,000 comments. That’s a record for an IRS rulemaking comment period. In fact, if you take all the comments on all Treasury and IRS draft proposals over the last seven years and double that number, you come close to the number of comments we are now beginning to review and analyze.
It’s going to take us a while to sort through all those comments, hold a public hearing, possibly repropose a draft regulation and get more public comments. This means that it is unlikely we will be able to complete this process before the end of the year.
As you can see from Koskinen’s comments, this fight is far from over. Largely developed behind closed doors, the new ruling would have constituted a profound infringement of the First Amendment rights of NTU and each of our members. It would have made it difficult – if not impossible – for NTU to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and ensure that the voice of the taxpayer is heard in the nation’s capitol. It should come then as no surprise that imposing this rule was a major priority for the Obama Administration to finalize ahead of 2014 Congressional elections. (Click here for more background information).
It’s important that we use the time we have to keep up the pressure on our legislators to oppose this terrible rule!
Here’s how you can help:
- Take Action and urge your Senators to support S. 2011, the “Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014” – this would impose a statutorial one-year delay of the proposed rule.
- Give generously to ensure we have the tools and resources we need to stop the IRS’s bullying of grassroots organizations.