While some pastors shy away from addressing political or cultural issues for fear of offending people, others are crippled by fear of the so-called “Johnson Amendment” that was added to the Internal Revenue Code in 1954. But the Johnson Amendment is overblown and unconstitutional and must be repealed.
It’s time to end the chilling effect this amendment to the tax code has wielded over pastors, pulpits, and other nonprofit organizations. And it’s time to stop the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from muzzling pastors and churches.
Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced the “Free Speech Fairness Act” in the U.S. House and Senate to amend the Internal Revenue Code to protect free speech. Though similar bills have been introduced in years past, the stage is set for this Congress to make repealing the Johnson Amendment a reality.
I have been a longtime advocate for repealing the Johnson Amendment, and in 2011, I served on a congressional task force at the request of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to evaluate this amendment that has been used to ...
