Council Connection: Updates for Council Members

Public policy news and updates for the philanthropic sector

What We're Tracking in DC

Congressional Philanthropy Caucus Launched!

This week, Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Danny Davis (D-IL) announced the launch of the bipartisan Congressional Philanthropy Caucus. The caucus serves to promote and support policies that will strengthen the philanthropic and charitable sectors while also advancing a deeper understanding of the contributions, work, and role of foundations to members of Congress and their staff through briefings and other activities. 

Take Action: Ask your member of Congress to join the Philanthropy Caucus

IRS guidance on Trump Accounts

On December 2, the IRS released guidance and a notice of upcoming regulations on Money Accounts for Growth and Advancement, also referred to as Trump Accounts. Trump Accounts were established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L.119-21) and serve as a tax deferred savings account and type of Individual Retirement Account for children who are U.S. citizens.

Earlier this week, the White House held a press conference with Michael and Susan Dell, along with several members of Congress, announcing the philanthropists' pledge to contribute $250 to each Trump Account of children aged ten and under who live in a ZIP code with a median family income of $150,000 or less. Read our overview of Trump Accounts.

Additional Updates

  • FEMA Review Council Meeting Notice: On Thursday, December 11, the President's FEMA Review Council will host a public meeting. During the meeting, the Review Council will receive a presentation on its draft final report, in accordance with Executive Order 14180. To listen in to the meeting, email the Designated Federal Officer at FEMAreviewcouncil@hq.dhs.gov. Members of the public can provide comments on the Final Report until December 31, 2025, by following the instructions listed in the public notice located on the Federal Register website.
  • HB1176 Signed into Law in Pennsylvania: In November, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) signed into law HB 1176. The bill amends the state’s intestate succession statute to redirect the assets of a deceased person without a will or descendants from the state’s General Fund to an endowed community grantmaking fund at a community foundation in the person’s last county of residence. Supporters and advocates of the bill recognize that the bill will ensure local assets remain within a county and support the needs of a local community.
  • New American Alliance for Equal Rights Case: The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) has sued the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) in federal court in Washington, D.C., challenging the eligibility rules of the HSF Scholars Program, specifically the requirement that applicants “identify as being of Hispanic heritage.” The complaint asserts that this criterion excludes all non-Hispanic students, including Asian, White, Black, and Native American applicants, even when they meet every other academic and financial qualification.

    AAER brings its claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981, a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that guarantees all persons the same right to make and enforce contracts regardless of race or ethnicity. The lawsuit characterizes the HSF Scholars Program as a contract. By conditioning that contractual opportunity on Hispanic heritage, AAER argues that HSF is engaging in unlawful race-based discrimination under § 1981. Read more about the case.

Happening in the States

Tax Conformity Around the Country

Many states and the District of Columbia are responding to H.R.1, the major tax bill enacted earlier this year, by choosing whether to follow or decouple from federal tax provisions that could affect their budgets. As available funding fluctuates, so could the revenues allocated to nonprofits and communities.

  • Alabama: Their Department of Revenue shared that the state automatically conforms to changes in federal corporate taxes, and it will adopt the increase to the state and local tax deduction cap.
  • Delaware: A pending bill would change state law to require companies to spread specified corporate tax deductions over multiple years, with some carveouts, and keep this in effect until tax year 2030.
  • District of Columbia: Emergency legislation will decouple from the federal $6,000 deduction for seniors, a deduction for overtime pay, and other provisions to save an estimated $567 million through the end of Fiscal Year 2029.
  • Pennsylvania: The Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget bill decouples from three tax provisions that will prevent an estimated $1.1 billion in tax revenue loss in FY 2026. The provisions are the deduction for research and experimental expenses, interest deduction limitation, and expensing for qualified production property.

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