To restore the Free Speech and First Amendment rights of churches and exempt organizations by repealing the 1954 Johnson Amendment.

Bill: 115-hr-172
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Introduced: 2017-01-03
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

First Amendment rights

Religion

Tax-exempt organizations
Latest action: action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the prohibition against churches and other tax-exempt organizations participating in political campaigns or supporting or opposing candidates for public office. The bill specifies that provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 are not invalidated or limited by the repeal. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 172 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 3, 2017 Mr. Jones introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To restore the Free Speech and First Amendment rights of churches and exempt organizations by repealing the 1954 Johnson Amendment.

1. Repeal of the 1954 Johnson Amendment banning the Free Speech and First Amendment rights of churches and exempt organizations (a) In general Paragraph (3) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to list of exempt organizations) is amended by striking , and which does 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 . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Campaign finance laws unaffected The amendments made by this section shall not invalidate or limit any provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 ( 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq. ).