Highlights
- Group calls for protection of private giving in tax reforms
- Eliminating the charitable giving deduction threatens to shred America’s safety net for the poor
- Taxing private donations will limit services provided by faith-based organizations
Washington, DC (July 17, 2013) — A coalition of national faith-based charities this week will urge Senate leaders to preserve tax deductions on charitable donations. They are meeting in response to the plan announced by U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) to develop a tax reform bill by starting with zero tax breaks: no mortgage-interest deduction, no special tax treatment for corporate perks, no deduction for charitable contributions, etc.
This means tax incentives for donating cash and non-cash gifts to charities will not be in the committee’s tax reform plan unless U.S. senators ask for the charitable deduction and other tax incentives to be put in the bill. Charitable leaders argue that the loss of the deduction will adversely affect churches, foreign missions and charities serving the poor and vulnerable in the United States and internationally. Senators have been asked to submit their proposals to the Finance Committee by Friday, July 26.
The Faith and Giving Coalition — which includes World Vision, The Salvation Army, National Christian Foundation, National Association of Evangelicals, and Association of Gospel Rescue Missions — will be carrying the message directly to senior members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Executives will be available for interviews between 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building.
What:
Media availability
When:
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 11:00 a.m. EDT
Where:
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Who:
- Galen Carey, vice president of National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
- Larry Probus, chief financial officer for World Vision
- John Ashmen, president of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM)
- Dan Busby, president of Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)
- Darryl Leedom, national social services secretary for Salvation Army
- David Wills, president of National Christian Foundation
- Jonathan Imbody, vice president of the Christian Medical Association
- Chad Hayward, executive director of Accord Network
- Steven Wolfe, senior tax policy counsel for Jewish Federations of North America
- Sandra Swirski, executive director of Alliance for Charitable Reform
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About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.