LEGISLATIVE ALERT
July 17, 1997
ISSUE: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) intends to attach an amendment to the House Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations bill that would severely limit the ability of nonprofit organizations receiving federal funds to advocate on policy or legislative issues at any level of government. The amendment is expected to be offered on Tuesday, July 22, when the full House Appropriations Committee meets to
BACKGROUND: Rep. Istook tried, unsuccessfully, in the 104th Congress to amend appropriations bills in an effort to limit the ability of nonprofit organizations to lobby. Federal grantees are already prohibited from using federal funds to lobby Congress or state legislatures. Lobbying at the local level with federal funds is only permissible under certain circumstances -- when the activity is necessary, reasonable, and related to the purposes of the grant. Istook’s newest amendment would change this to prohibit "any activity designed to influence legislation or appropriations pending before the Congress, any State legislature, or a legislative body of any political subdivision of a State." Because less clarity exits about the distinctions between executive and legislative functions at the local level, this amendment could prohibit all policy communications with local governmental entities.
ACTION NEEDED: Call, fax, e-mail by Tuesday morning, July 22 your representative on the House Appropriations Committee (list below). If you do not have a representative on the Committee, contact the chairman, Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA). Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your representative’s office. For fax and e-mail addresses, contact the individual member’s office or check the Internet for direct access. Internet address: http://www.house.gov/appropriations/ (click on Committee Membership).
MESSAGE: Tell your Representative that he/she should oppose the Istook amendment. The amendment would deny nonprofit organizations receiving federal funds the right to communicate with local, state, and federal officials about their programs. Laws already exist restricting lobbying of recipients of federal grants. Use your experience to explain how this amendment would be harmful.
FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Madeleine Golde at 1-800-638-8799, ext. 237, or e-mail at mgolde@naswdc.org.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
| REPUBLICANS | DEMOCRATS |
| Bob Livingston, LA, Chairman | *David Obey, WI,.Ranking |
| Joseph McDade, PA | Sidney Yates, IL |
| *CW Bill Young, FL | *Louis Stokes, OH |
| Ralph Regula, OH | John P. Murtha, PA |
| Jerry Lewis, CA A | Norman D. Dicks, W |
| **John E. Porter, IL | Martin Sabo, MN |
| Harold Rogers, KY | Julian Dixon, CA |
| Joe Skeen, NM | Vic Fazio, CA |
| Frank Wolf, VA | WG (Bill) Hefner, NC |
| Tom DeLay, TX | *Steny Hoyer, MD |
| Jim Kolbe, AZ | Alan Mollohan, W VA |
| Ron Packard, CA | Marcy Kaptur, OH |
| Sonny Callahan, AL | David Skaggs, CO |
| James Walsh, NY | *Nancy Pelosi, CA |
| Charles Taylor, NC | Peter Visclosky, IN |
| David Hobson, OH | Thomas Foglietta, PA |
| *Ernest Istook, OK | Esteban Edward Torres, CA |
| *Henry Bonilla, TX | *Nita Lowey, NY |
| Joe Knollenberg, MI | Jose Serrano, NY |
| *Dan Miller, FL | *Rosa DeLauro, CT |
| *Jay Dickey, AK | James Moran, VA |
| Jack Kingston, GA | John Olver, MA |
| Mike Parker, MS | Ed Pastor, AZ |
| Rodney Frelinghuysen, NJ | Carrie Meek, FL |
| *Roger Wicker, MS | David Price, NC |
| Michael Forbes, NY | Chet Edwards, TX |
| George Nethercutt, WA | |
| Mark Neumann, WI | |
| Randy Cunningham, CA | |
| Todd Tiahrt, KS | |
| Zach Wamp, TN | |
| Tom Latham, IA | |
| *Anne Northup, KY | |
| Robert Aderholt, AL |
* Indicates Labor/HHS/Education Subcommittee Members
** Indicates Labor/HHS/Education Subcommittee Chair