Letter to the Hon. Richard Neal, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee - Moulton Advocates for Nonprofit Assistance in Letter to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal

Letter

Dear Chairman Neal,

I'm writing to you today to urge you in your role as Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means to provide critical economic support for nonprofit organizations in any future COVID-19 stimulus package. With millions of jobs and invaluable services at risk, Congress must step up to save the organizations that have served and continue to serve our communities every day throughout this crisis.

The 12 million people working for America's charitable nonprofits are on the frontlines of the coronavirus response: they are the backbone of the food banks, shelters, domestic violence services, houses of worship, early care and education centers, after-school facilities, and more that are being called on to feed, house and care for people whose lives have been disrupted by closures, job loss and sickness.

In addition to these vital services, many nonprofits like the YMCA and the New England Aquarium are the hearts and souls of our communities. The survival of our cultural institutions like the New England Aquarium and major employers like the Y are vital if we are going to quickly revive other parts of our economy. People will need places to work and visit once we can start moving around again.

Millions of jobs in America's charitable sector are at risk unless a reliable source of cash can be provided to assure continued operations. And in many cases, the scope of operations will need to expand to accommodate increased demand for vital services. The survival of many charities is jeopardized by unprecedented revenue losses from closed programming and services suspended, as well as anticipated shortfalls in fundraising. To support a healthy economy, charitable nonprofits need a reliable source of cash to continue to serve our communities.

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and I worked together to introduce H.R. 6408, The Save the Organizations that Serve (SOS) America Act. The legislation, which has the support of over two dozen of the country's largest charitable nonprofits, would ensure that nonprofits are not left behind in disaster relief. I urge you to include the legislation in any future COVID-19 related package. Specifically, please:

-Allow all 501(c)(3) nonprofits to qualify for the SBA loans created in the CARES Act by removing the 500-employee caps;
-Provide $60 billion in emergency assistance loans to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations;
-Expand the above-the-line, universal charitable deduction by eliminating the cap and allowing taxpayers to retroactively claim the deduction in 2019; and
-Prioritize nonprofits and their employees in future unemployment insurance relief.

Thank you for your consideration of the above requests to make sure nonprofits can stay afloat while continuing to serve our communities.

Source