The Honorable Lisa Murkowski (AK) 
The Honorable Mark Begich (AK)
The Honorable Mike Crapo (ID) 
The Honorable James Risch (ID)
The Honorable Jon Tester (MT) 
The Honorable John Walsh (MT)
The Honorable Ron Wyden (OR) 
The Honorable Jeff Merkley (OR)
The Honorable Patty Murray (WA) 
The Honorable Maria Cantwell (WA)
The Honorable Mike Enzi (WY)  
The Honorable John Barrasso (WY)

Dear Senators:

As the leaders of nonprofit and philanthropic networks in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming, we ask for your support of the America Gives More Act (H.R. 4719)  that would have positive impacts on communities across our shared region.  We collectively represent over 2,600 nonprofits and foundations, and we believe this is a unique opportunity to make available more charitable resources that address the pressing community needs of our constituents.

The America Gives More Act (H.R. 4719) was passed with bi-partisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives in July and it now awaits passage in the U.S. Senate. The Act includes five significant tax provisions encouraging giving by foundations and individuals:

1.      Permanently reinstating the IRA charitable rollover;

2.      Simplifying the excise tax to 1 percent for private foundations’ investment income (thereby reducing the administrative work and enabling more giving to immediate community need);

3.      Permanently reinstating the enhanced deduction for donating land conservation easements;

4.      Permanently reinstating the enhanced deduction for donating food inventory; and

5.      Extending the deadline for claiming charitable donations on the previous year’s tax filing through April 15.

We understand that there is a brief window between the August and September recesses to take action, and if not, the process starts over with a new Congress in January 2015.

We urge you to request that Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell bring the America Gives More Act (H.R. 4719) to the Senate floor for a vote and ask for your support of H.R. 4719 as soon as the Senate reconvenes in September.

Thank you for your commitment to the communities with our region by supporting a strong and thriving nonprofit and philanthropic sector. We both stand ready to provide additional information about why your support of the America Gives More Act would benefit the people of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

Sincerely,

Alison McCaffree, Executive Director, Washington Nonprofits
ed@washingtonnonprofits.org, 253-820-0731

Dennis McMillan, President and CEO, The Foraker Group
dmcmillian@forakergroup.org, 907-743-1202

Janice Fulkerson, Executive Director, Idaho Nonprofit Center
jfulkerson@idahononprofits.org, 208-424-2229, ext. 5

Jeff Clarke, CEO, Philanthropy Northwest
jclarke@philanthropynw.org; 206-443-8431

Jim White, Executive Director, Nonprofit Association of Oregon
jwhite@nonprofitorgeon.org, 503-239-4001, ext. 109