July 16, 2013

MEDIA ADVISORY

FAITH AND GIVING COALITION TO CONVENE ON TAX REFORM AND CHARITABLE DEDUCTION 11:00 AM EDT, JULY 18, 2013

Contact:           Nicole Daniels – 616-260-6097 (ndaniels@agrm.org)


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 

WHERE:         Dirksen Basement South

WHEN:           Thursday, July 18, 2013, 11:15 a.m. — 11:45 a.m. EDT

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:  

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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