Free Speech Fairness Act
Sponsored By: Representative Harris (NC)
Introduced
Summary
Protects 501(c)(3) charities' ordinary-course political statements. This bill would let charitable organizations make statements about political campaigns when those statements arise from their regular, exempt activities and cause only de minimis incremental expenses.
Show full summary
- Charitable organizations: Allows 501(c)(3) groups to speak about candidates as part of their normal programs without being treated as intervening in a political campaign when the speech is part of their exempt purpose and adds only minimal costs.
- Tax and donors: Treats those statements as not changing related tax provisions tied to an organization’s status, so tax consequences connected to that status are not altered solely because of the speech.
- Timing: The rule would apply to taxable years ending after the date of enactment of the Act.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Charities could make limited campaign statements
If enacted, 501(c)(3) charities could make some statements about political campaigns without losing tax-exempt status. The statements would need to be part of the charity’s regular work and add only de minimis extra costs. Only the content of such statements could not be used to say the charity joined a campaign. Donors’ charitable deduction treatment, including income, estate, and gift tax rules, would be preserved. This would apply to taxable years ending after the date of enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harris (NC)
NC • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]
MS • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
LA • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]
WI • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]
TX • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
WA • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Messmer
IN • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-5]
MI • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Stutzman
IN • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
NC • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
LaMalfa
CA • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]
TN • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]
IL • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Biggs (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
SC • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Allen
GA • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Babin
TX • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Moore (WV)
WV • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
McGuire
VA • R
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]
TN • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Brecheen
OK • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9]
GA • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Aderholt
AL • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1]
MD • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]
SC • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27]
TX • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Fitzgerald
WI • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Davidson
OH • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6]
AL • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Haridopolos
FL • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov