Lankford, Steube Protect Charities from Government Overreach

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Congressman Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced the Safeguarding Charity Act to protect the independence of our nation’s tax-exempt organizations. It safeguards churches, nonprofits, and private schools from a perilous line of litigation in federal courts that could subject them to burdensome federal regulations.

“Tax-exempt organizations should not live in fear of federal control every day because courts want to redefine the meaning of tax-exempt status. Tax-exempt status is not the same as receiving federal funding, and it should not be used as political leverage against the nonprofits in Oklahoma and across the nation,” said Lankford. “We should be focused on enabling the work of these organizations—not burdening them with unnecessary and costly federal requirements.”

“Radical judges do not have the authority to twist federal law and force religious institutions to choose between their convictions and compliance,” said Steube. “The Safeguarding Charity Act reaffirms that tax-exempt status does not mean an organization is receiving federal financial assistance. This bill is about protecting churches, religious schools, and charities from federal overreach. I’m grateful to Senator Lankford for his leadership on this important effort in the Senate.”

“Charities and other nonprofits provide invaluable services to their communities,” said Greg Baylor, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel. “In part to recognize their critical work, nonprofits are tax-exempt so that they can devote scarce resources to serving those in need. Until recently, no one really thought that their tax-exempt status was the sort of “federal financial assistance” that triggered the application of several burdensome federal statutes and regulations. But some courts have embraced this unfounded view, and Congress needs to set things straight. Let’s be clear: a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status should not be considered government funding and thus should not trigger multiple burdensome federal laws under which charities and other nonprofits could lose their tax-exempt status. ADF commends Sen. Lankford and Rep. Steube for introducing the Safeguarding Charity Act to protect nonprofits from these financially crushing burdens so that nonprofits can continue to serve their communities free from unfair and unexpected government overreach.” 

“ACSI commends Senator Lankford and Congressman Steube for their leadership in introducing the Safeguarding Charity Act,” said P. George Tryfiates, VP for Public Policy and Legal Affairs at the Association of Christian Schools International. “This legislation is critical to set the record straight: an organization’s nonprofit status is not the receipt of federal financial assistance. It never has been. It is not now. Politically motivated lawsuits based on this false premise must stop, or else all nonprofits will be at risk. We urge every member of Congress to support the Safeguarding Charity Act.” 

“Agudath Israel of America is pleased to support the ‘Safeguarding Charity Act (SCA),’ introduced by Senator James Lankford and Representative Greg Steube,” said Rabbi Abba Cohen, VP for Government Affairs of Agudath Israel of America. “This legislation is vitally important to nonprofits across the country, including synagogues, religious schools and charities within the Jewish community.  It will enshrine into law that which has generally been understood that ‘tax-exempt status’ does not constitute ‘federal financial assistance.’” 

Background

The legislation is also supported by Philanthropy Roundtable, Seventh-day Adventist Church, ERLC,  American Association of Christian Schools, Association for Biblical Higher Education, Family Research Council, Citygate Network, Christian Employers Alliance, and National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

Lankford first introduced the legislation with Congressman Steube in 2024.

In 2023, Lankford also introduced the Charitable Act to incentivize giving to America’s nonprofits. The bill would expand and extend the expired non-itemized deduction for charitable giving that would ensure Americans who donate to charities, houses of worship, religious organizations, and other nonprofits of their choice are able to deduct that donation from their federal taxes at a higher level than the previous $300 deduction.

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