Corker co-sponsors bill to prevent IRS political targeting
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., is a co-sponsor of the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2015.
The would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from further regulating the activities of social welfare organizations until 2017. It is a reaction to a 2012 issue where some groups seeking tax exemptions were inappropriately flagged for additional review due to their political beliefs.
"It is unacceptable that all nonprofit organizations seeking tax-exempt status including groups in Tennessee have not been treated fairly by the IRS in the past," said Corker. "As a result, Americans don't trust the IRS to act impartially, and this bill helps assure Tennesseans that this kind of activity will not happen again."
The chief sponsors are Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Pat Roberts of Kansas, and Reps. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Peter Roskam of Illinois. Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander also is a co-sponsor.
Alexander supports repeal of employer mandate
Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, has joined with Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch to sponsor the American Job Protection Act, a bill to repeal what they call "Obamacare's job-killing employer mandate."
The Affordable Care Act says businesses with 50 or more employees must offer health insurance or pay penaltiesy between $2,000 and $3,000 for each employee working 30 hours or more a week.
Republicans say that as a result, businesses are cutting jobs and workers' hours to avoid having to provide insurance coverage.
"Until we have a Republican president and can repeal Obamacare, the responsible thing to do is repeal the employer mandate--one of several steps we can take to repair the damage Obamacare has done," Alexander said.
NLRB reform bill introduced
Alexander is partnering with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on a bill to reorganize the National Labor Relations Board.
The bill would expand the board from five members to six, balanced between Democrats and Republicans, and decisions would require four votes rather than three. Parties with cases before the board could seek review of a general counsel's complaint in federal court and obtain quick access to documents. And the NLRB would have new deadlines for decisions, with appeals to federal court in cases lasting longer than one year.
"This legislation will turn the National Labor Relations Board from a partisan advocate to the neutral umpire it ought to be, restoring stability to our nation's workplaces," Alexander said. "It would also rein in the freewheeling general counsel by allowing businesses and unions to challenge complaints in federal court, and it would encourage timely decisions by saying either party to a case may appeal to the court of appeals if the board fails to act within a year."
CALENDAR
Monday: Former state representative and current executive committee member Bobby Wood will be guest speaker at the Pachyderm Club of Hamilton County. Noon at GOP headquarters, 1428 Chestnut St., Suite E.
Tuesday: The Coalition for a Healthy Tennessee is sponsoring Insure Tennessee Day on the Hill from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST. 9. For information about a charter bus from Chattanooga to Nashville contact Sylvia Phillips at phillips@epbfi.com.
Feb. 12: Tennessee Democratic Party chairwoman Mary Mancini is the guest at the quarterly meeting of the Hamilton County Democratic Party Executive Committee. Meeting starts at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a chili supper. All Democrats are welcome. Committee members are asked to bring a dessert. If you can help with chili or toppings for chili, contact Rita Fehring at ritazilla@gmail.com.