ePhilanthropy eZine: Congress Should Abandon Efforts To Restrict Communication

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Thursday, June 29, 2006

News: ePhilanthropy Foundation Urges Dialogue on Congressional Email Issue

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Congress Should Abandon Efforts To Restrict Communication

Congress Should Abandon Efforts To Restrict Communication
Nonprofits Must Be In Compliance with ePhilanthropy Code of Ethics

In a statement today the ePhilanthropy Foundation urges the US Congress to abandon efforts to restrict email from nonprofit organizations and calls upon all nonprofits to be in compliance with the ePhilanthropy Code of Ethics as they seek to inspire citizens to exercise their right to communicate with their representatives.

The Foundation calls for dialogue between all parties to develop an alternative approach to the logic puzzles instituted by Congressional offices.

Official Statement:

The ePhilanthropy Foundation urges Congress to respect the implicit contract all Americans have with their representatives to be able to communicate and share their views. It is our believe that any system that creates barriers to this communication should be abandoned.

The ePhilanthropy Foundation urges all nonprofit organizations to be in compliance with all aspects of the ePhilanthropy Code of Ethics and to be certain that the communication they inspire is targeted and not considered spam.

All parties should work to keep the Internet a fast and convenient way for free communication, this is a responsibility and privilege we all share.

ISSUE BACKGROUND

You may already have heard about that earlier this month, the House of Representatives' CAO announced the availability of an "enhancement" to the House's "Write Your Rep" system that challenges constituents with a "logic puzzle" before they are allowed to submit a comment via web form.

The system appears to be intended to "prevent the practice" of nonprofit and advocacy organizations mobilizing grassroots to communicate with elected officials.

Background information can be found at :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/11/AR2006061100691_pf.html

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/06/signed_sealed_a.html

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