Press Releases

WASHINGTON ­­­­- The following statement was released today by National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) President Rick Cohen, regarding this month's upcoming Senate vote on the Gramm-Kyl estate tax plan.  The statement was issued at a Capitol Hill news conference, sponsored by Americans for a Fair Estate Tax, to unveil new polling data demonstrating strong bipartisan public support for sensibly reforming the estate tax rather than repealing it:

The U.S. Senate should vote "no" on the Gramm-Kyl estate tax plan to permanently mandate that multi-million-dollar estates would never have to pay any taxes.  The measure is as unfair as it is unwise; it would hurt our nation's hard-pressed charities and pick the pockets of most American taxpayers - to the tune of $850 billion. The Gramm-Kyl plan would be a large gift to a small handful of multi-million-dollar estates at the expense of 98 percent of taxpayers, who would be left to make up the difference to pay for Medicare, Social Security, education and the war on terror.

The Gramm-Kyl estate tax plan would threaten the work of our nation's charities by removing a major incentive for charitable giving - ironically at the very moment when Congress and the president are looking to promote charity.

Under the Gramm-Kyl plan, America's charities would lose billions of dollars in vital contributions every year - crucial support for the most vulnerable Americans.  Such a loss would be all the more devastating amidst today's harsh federal and state budget realities that are leaving disadvantaged Americans quite literally out in the cold.   It is non-profit organizations that are left to stand in the gap during such periods of sacrifice; it seems neither compassionate nor conservative to cut one leg out from under America's charities at just such a critical time.

We believe that when it comes to the estate tax, there should be sensible reform - not a costly repeal at the expense of America's charities and the overwhelming majority of our nation's taxpayers.  NCRP stands with most Americans in supporting estate tax reform that would protect small businesses and family farms, and keep most taxpayers exempt - while still supporting America's charities, Medicare, Social Security, education and homeland security.  The Senate should take a stand for fairness and prudent reform by voting "no" on the Gramm-Kyl estate tax plan.