Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced the Charitable Equity for Veterans Act of 2018 (H.R. 6661).

Currently, the Internal Revenue Code is written to only allow tax-deductible donations to 501(c)(19) veterans’ service organizations that maintain a membership of at least 90 percent wartime veterans. This legislation would lift the wartime service requirement for congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations to accept tax-deductible donations, thus better representing the 2.4 million veterans who honorably served outside of wartime. 

 “All veterans deserve our support and gratitude, regardless of the period in which they served. Unfortunately, due to this outdated requirement in the tax code, some veterans’ organizations don’t have the same access to tax-deductible donations that other organizations have, simply because they choose to welcome all veterans as members. This legislation corrects that oversight, and gives all of America’s veterans the appreciation their service deeply deserves,” said Congressman Brad Wenstrup. 

“Veterans’ service organizations in Wisconsin are an important part of many veterans’ lives by helping to provide resources and benefits that our veterans have earned and deserve.  I am proud to work on this bipartisan bill that cuts needless government red tape and allows for all major veterans’ service organizations - regardless of when and where their members served - to have the resources they need to serve our veterans back here at home,” said Congressman Ron Kind.

AMVETS Chapters in Ohio and Wisconsin released the following statements of support:

“AMVETS and other veteran groups will benefit tremendously from this legislation. This bill will allow us to raise necessary funding to better serve Ohio veterans.  We are proud of our Representative, and Army Reservist, Brad Wenstrup for taking this unfair tax on veterans charities head on.” said Don Lowers, AMVETS Commander, Department of Ohio.

"The Charity Equity for Veterans Act will provide relief to our Nation’s most storied and historic veteran organizations. 99% of the 1.5 million existing nonprofit organizations can receive tax deductible charitable gifts but many veterans groups cannot. AMVETS continues to fight for all veterans, and we are thankful that Representative Kind is fighting for us on this unfair tax burden on vets,” said Dale Peterson, AMVETS Commander, Department of Wisconsin.