Council on Foundations Statement on IRS Johnson Amendment Motion

WASHINGTON—Earlier this week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filed a joint motion asking the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to approve a consent judgement which would allow churches and religious organizations to endorse political candidates in connection with their religious services. The following statement is attributable to Kathleen Enright, President and CEO of the Council on Foundations. 

"This is a deeply concerning step in the wrong direction. At a time when our nation is already struggling with profound polarization, this risks pulling politics into the heart of our religious and spiritual communities—places that have long served as rare sanctuaries of unity. 

The charitable sector—faith-based and secular alike—has always played a critical role in building bridges and serving the public good. Faith communities have historically been spaces where Americans of all political backgrounds can gather in shared belief and purpose. Allowing partisan endorsements at houses of worship threatens to erode that sacred common ground, driving deeper wedges where healing and understanding are most needed. 

We urge policymakers and civic leaders to protect the integrity and unity of our religious and spiritual spaces. Now more than ever, we must preserve, not politicize, the institutions that bring us together.”