(Courtesy of the OU Advocacy Center) In December 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This legislation was intended to reduce federal taxes and simplify the federal tax code.

However, the newly revised tax code includes a provision (Section 512(a)(7) of the IRS code) that will impose new, unprecedented taxes and requirements on nonprofit organizations – including houses of worship and religious schools – to potentially pay tens of thousands of dollars in federal and possibly state income taxes for providing parking and transit subsidies to clergy and staff. The new provision, in effect, nullifies an institution’s nonprofit status.

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center is committed to working to have this unprecedented tax provision repealed and is among those leading a coalition of many faith, community and nonprofit sector organizations in opposition of the expansion of this tax.

In recent weeks, the OU Advocacy Center has met with key officials at the White House and with U.S. senators and representatives. Recently, legislation entitled H.R. 6460, the “LIFT Charities Act,” was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal the section that would impose this new tax on houses of worship and other nonprofits.

The OU Advocacy Center is urging people to contact their U.S. Representative to vote for H.R. 6460, which would repeal this new provision in the tax law that unnecessarily punishes religious institutions and charities.