Lobbying Ban in National-Service Bill Comes Under Fire

March 23, 2009

Lobbying Ban in National-Service Bill Comes Under Fire

In approving a bill last week to expand national-service programs, the House of Representatives adopted a last-minute amendment that would bar participants in the programs from attempting to influence legislation or taking part in various other political activities, including protests or voter-registration drives.

Two nonprofit organizations are now sending e-mail messages urging supporters to fight to keep the language out of the Senate version of the bill.

“The First Amendment protects against speech restrictions such as those in [this] amendment,” says OMB Watch, a government-watchdog group.

The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest, a group that promotes nonprofit advocacy, calls the language “anti-nonprofit” and “anti-democratic,” adding that “civic participation is the touchstone of American democracy.”

The amendment was proposed by Rep. Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, to the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, H.R. 1388, at the end of the debate on the bill. Ms. Foxx opposed the GIVE Act and voted against it after her amendment was approved.

“Funds must be used for the purpose of service and encouraging others to serve within their communities,” she said on the floor. “They must not be allowed to be used for prohibited activities.” She said she did not want money going to ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which is often criticized by Republicans for its voter-registration activities.

The amendment would prohibit spending for organizations that provide abortion services, have been indicted for voter fraud, or are “engaged in political or legislative advocacy” — or, in a provision especially criticized by the two nonprofit groups, if they are “co-located on the same premises” as such organizations.

The groups say the language would ban individuals from lobbying even if they were using private money or engaging in activities outside the context of a national-service program.

The Senate is debating its version of the national-service bill, the Serve America Act, S. 277, this week.

— Suzanne Perry

Comments

This amendment is wrong on so many different levels. Nonprofit organizations support the basic social fabric in communities across America. To make us give up our CONSTITUTIONAL rights is not only unfair but mean-spirited and short sighted.

— Anne HIndery Camp Mar 24, 02:51 PM #
One can argue that the intervention of charities in some governmental processes is actually counterproductive. It’s a matter of itent. If the objective is to advance the standing of one political party, it’s wrong. Period.

— Bill Bro Mar 24, 03:34 PM #
Who has Rep. Foxx and her other like-minded legislators chosen to speak for us, the non-profit service organizations, in “her” political arena. AIG, Ford,& banks have effective lobbyists which we certainly see makes sure their goals are reached. We (nonprofit service organizations) don’t want to further a party’s platform-it takes both sides of the aisle to do the right thing for all of the people. Be aware that there are over 1.2 million nonprofits and we can no more be lumped into one category than can politicians. Read your Constitution-let’s keep it at the forefront of all that we do. It is not about one man’s or one woman’s job.

— Kim Lonas Mar 24, 04:39 PM #
I’m AmeriCorps right now, and we arent allowed to participate in anything that would show a party bias while working for AmeriCorps; (or displaying anything that would show our affiliation with AmeriCorps). The idea is to remain party-neutral and to focus on the work, not party lines. It’s not hard, it makes sense, and we aren’t prohibited from having opinions and acting upon them- we just can’t show them while at our sites or wearing AmeriCorps gear. I think people are making this a bigger deal than necessary. Many of my AmeriCorps friends and I were able to participate in the recent election- including voter drives and campaign efforts WITHOUT it interfering with our AmeriCorps position.

— Karen Mar 24, 04:50 PM #
Using taxpayer dollars to support selective lobbying via the service programs is not the biggest problem here. (There’s no “right” to civic participation on the taxpayer’s dime.) This legislation pushing us toward mandatory national service may be the most destructive thing happening in politics today. The idea that “you are your brother’s keeper” flies in the face of basic American principles of individualism and individual rights. The goal of nationwide indoctrination of children with a service mentality is particularly abhorrent.

To quote from “The Wreckage of the Consensus,” an article by Ayn Rand: “But if young men accept the belief that it is their duty to spend their irreplaceable formative years on growing rice and carrying bedpans—they’re done for psychologically, and so is this country” (Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal, 233).

— Lucy Mar 24, 05:20 PM #
Ayn Rand was a turnip. Leave the philosophizing to the professionals.

— Doug Mar 24, 06:46 PM #
Really foxxy? And does the policy apply to churches and church funded npo’s? Oh, and Ayn Rand was a hag Ms. Lucy.

— bill Mar 24, 10:09 PM #
So its ok to lobby and speak out if you are just out to make a buck but if you work for the improvement of the community you should just shut up.

Who better than those who work in the nonprofit community, and are not trying to enrich themselves, to speak out on important policy issues?

— Ann Lehman Mar 25, 12:17 AM #
If you accept $ from them you should be prepared to live with these limitations.

— Steve Mar 26, 01:06 PM #

Commenting is closed for this article.

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