Johnson Amendment: House provision that would have freed up churches’ political speech cut from tax bill
As lawmakers sort through the details of the proposed tax bill that House and Senate Republicans agreed upon this week, one issue that apparently will not be included is the repeal of the Johnson Amendment.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who is taking part in talks on the tax package, released a statement late Thursday asserting that the 1954 law that bars tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from engaging in political activity would not be included in the final tax bill.
The House version of the tax bill contained a provision to weaken the Johnson Amendment. It would give churches and other nonprofits greater leeway when it comes to endorsing candidates. The Senate version sought to keep the law in place.
