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User:Morzabeth/Heritage Action

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Heritage Action
Type 501(c)4 organization
PurposeLobbying and advocacy
HeadquartersWashington, DC
Chief executive officer
Michael A. Needham
Chief operating officer
Tim Chapman
AffiliationsThe Heritage Foundation
Websiteheritageaction.com

Heritage Action for America, also known as Heritage Action, is a conservative lobbying and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Heritage Action was founded in 2010 and is a sister organization to the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation.

Background

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Heritage Action for America was founded in April 2010 by The Heritage Foundation, and works to expand the political reach of The Heritage Foundation and advance the conservative policies recommended by its researchers.[1]

Officials at The Heritage Foundation began engaging in political advocacy following the March 2010 passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[2][1] As a 501(c)3 organization, the think tank cannot engage in direct lobbying, so it created Heritage Action to serve as its lobbying and advocacy arm.[3]

Heritage Action began with an initial staff of ten, including chief executive officer Michael A. Needham and chief operating officer Timothy J. Chapman.[4][5]

Organization and leadership

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Heritage Action is headquartered in Washington, D.C. within The Heritage Foundation's offices.[6] Although Heritage Action is a sister organization to The Heritage Foundation, both organizations have stated that Heritage Action does not influence the scholarly research undertaken by The Heritage Foundation.[1][7]

Current leadership includes chief executive officer Michael A. Needham, chief operating officer Tim Chapman, political director Russ Vought, and communications director Dan Holler.[7] In addition to its staff In Washington, D.C., Heritage Action employs twelve regional coordinators across the United States to develop and lead the grassroots efforts of the organization.[8][9]

Funding

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Heritage Action is registered as a 501(c)4 organization and is not required to report its donors.[1] At a Christian Science Monitor breakfast in October 2013, Needham stated that Heritage Action was "not being transparent" with their donors as they have generally declined to disclose who their donors are.[10] Self-reporting donors include Google, who contributed an undisclosed amount, and Freedom Partners, an organization partially funded by the Koch brothers, which gave approximately $500,000 in 2012.[11][12][13]

The organization raised $4.6 million in contributions in 2011 and $5.9 million in 2012.[14][15] According to Heritage Action's 2012 tax filing, approximately 44 percent of donations come from individuals donating less than $5,000.[13] In 2012, Heritage Action reported 61,000 donors.[15]

Activities

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Heritage Action seeks to advance the policy recommendations of The Heritage Foundation by working to hold Republican politicians accountable to promises made to their constituents.[2][16] The organization uses television and web advertisements, traditional lobbying, public rankings, and nationwide grassroots efforts to achieve its goals.[17][6][18]

The organization trains volunteers known as "sentinels" to help organize grassroots efforts including letter writing and phone call campaigns, contacting talk-radio programs, engaging elected officials at public meetings, and supporting Heritage Action's efforts on social media.[1][16][19] As of 2013, Heritage Action reported a network of 6000 "sentinels" and around 400,000 supporters.[16][15] The organization also reaches out to supporters of The Heritage Foundation.[18]

In addition to grassroots efforts, Heritage Action publishes legislative scorecards that rate how conservative Heritage Action considers a lawmaker to be by tracking their voting records and their involvement with certain congressional bills.[1][7] Before a relevant vote is taken, the organization notifies lawmakers of Heritage Action’s recommended vote and informs Congressmen that the vote will be tracked on their scorecard.[20] Bills included on the scorecard are determined by Michael Needham, Tim Chapman, Russ Vought, Dan Holler and Heritage Action's registered lobbyists.[7]

Congressional aides and some members of Congress have expressed concerns that Heritage Action’s activities have negatively impacted the reputation of The Heritage Foundation and have angered some lawmakers.[7][21] Heritage Action has stated that the negative reaction of lawmakers is a result of the organization’s desire to disrupt "business as usual".[14]

Positions on legislation

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Agriculture

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In a 2012 op-ed printed in The Wall Street Journal, Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham advocated for the separation of farm-subsidies legislation from food-stamp funding to enable separate reforms to each program.[22] In June 2013, Heritage Action issued a voting alert calling for a "yes" on an amendment that would separate the programs as Needham had previously advocated.[23] That amendment failed to pass, and when a new version of the bill was put forward several weeks later, Heritage Action issued a call for a "no" vote because the new farm legislation did not contain adequate reforms to crop subsidies.[20] This was seen by some conservative lawmakers as Heritage Action "moving the goal post".[23]

Transportation and energy

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Heritage Action opposed the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011, which sought to provide tax incentives to the natural gas industry, local governments, and businesses for supporting natural gas-powered vehicles.[24] Additionally, Heritage Action supports the Transportation Empowerment Act which would lower the national gas tax would transfer authority over highways and transportation projects to states.[25]

In 2013, Heritage Action signed a joint statement calling for the end of the wind-production tax credit when it expired that year.[26] The organization has also voiced support for the Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act of 2013, which proposes to eliminate all energy tax credits.[27][28]

Defense, foreign policy, trade and immigration

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When the Syrian Civil War began in 2013, Heritage Action opposed American involvement as the organization felt that there were no U.S. interests at stake.[29] Heritage Action also led opposition against the New START treaty with Russia, which proposes to decrease the number of strategic warheads held by each country.[30] Additionally, the organization voiced opposition to the Law of the Sea treaty, which recognizes the sovereignty of a nation for up to 200 nautical miles from their shore.[31] In March 2014, Heritage Action led the opposition to block reforms to the International Monetary Fund from being added to a Ukraine aid package.[32]

In 2011, Heritage Action supported trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.[33]

Heritage Action has opposed border security amendments, including the Border Security Results Act from Republican Senator John Cornyn and the Corker-Hoeven Amendment to the Senate Gang of Eight's immigration reform bill known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.[34][35][18] The organization has stated that it opposes these amendments as they would lead to the passage of legislation which calls for amnesty to those who have illegally immigrated to the United States.[36]

Health care and assistance programs

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In 2013, Heritage Action led a campaign to repeal and defund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 by encouraging lawmakers to refuse to support the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014, which would increase the federal debt limit, unless it contained legislation that would also defund the health care act.[37][7] The organization hosted a speaking tour with Senator Ted Cruz to promote its positions and conducted an advertising campaign directed towards Republican lawmakers who had not yet declared support for attaching legislation to the spending bill that would defund the health care law.[6][7] Ultimately, the spending bill was delayed long enough that it led to a government shutdown in October 2013. The Washington Post attributed much of the shutdown to the influence of Heritage Action.[38] Additionally, House Speaker John Boehner criticized Heritage Action for contributing to the government shutdown.[39]

In 2014, Heritage Action opposed an extension of long-term unemployment benefits stating that such benefits are "not a free lunch".[40]

Finance and housing

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Heritage Action opposed extending the Transaction Account Guarantee Program in 2012, which gave insurance guarantees to non-interest bearing bank accounts and which had been renewed in the Dodd-Frank Act.[41] Heritage Action later supported bill H.R. 273 by Representative Ron DeSantis, which overturned a 2012 executive order from President Barack Obama that sought to end a federal pay freeze.[42] Heritage Action joins several conservative groups in supporting Jeb Hensarling's efforts to abolish Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.[43][39]

The organization opposed the 2013 nomination of Janet Yellen to the head of the Federal Reserve and counted the vote of her appointment on its scorecards.[44]

In February of 2014, Heritage Action issued a voting alert opposing the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2013 which proposed to stop reforms enacted by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act of 2012.[45]

Technology

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Heritage Action was opposed to the Stop Online Piracy Act[11] and, as a member of the Digital 4th Coalition, supports reforming the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to require a search warrant for government agencies to access the contents of a user's email.[46]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Suzy Khimm (25 January 2013). "Heritage Action's Distinct Lobbying Plan". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Matea Gold and Lori Montgomery (5 September 2013). "Heritage's New Tactics a Hit with Base, but Not Hill GOP". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ^ Bethany Mandel (6 December 2012). "Jim DeMint and the Heritage Identity". Commentary Magazine. CommentaryMagazine.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Heritage Launches Grassroots Advocacy Group". States News Service. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. ^ bsmithwick (5 July 2010). "The Fight to Repeal Obamacare". Human Events. The Human Events Group. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Zeke J Miller (30 September 2013). "Hidden Hand: How Heritage Action Drove DC To Shut Down". Time. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Tim Mak (18 September 2013). "Under DeMint, Heritage Flexes Political Muscle". The Examiner. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  8. ^ Carl Pine (26 January 2014). "David Haas, Noteworthy". Pittsburgh Tribune. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Heritage Action Regional Coordinators". Heritageaction.com. Heritage Action for America. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  10. ^ Anna Palmer (9 October 2013). "Koch Bros. gave $500k to Heritage Action". Politico. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b Tom Hamburger and Matea Gold (12 April 2014). "Google, once disdainful of lobbying, now a master of Washington influence". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  12. ^ Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei (11 September 2013). "The Koch brothers' secret bank". Politico. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  13. ^ a b Robert Maguire (24 October 2013). "More than Kochs, Small Donors Fueled Heritage Action in 2012". Open Secrets. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  14. ^ a b Anna Palmer and Manu Raju (18 July 2013). "Jim DeMint back at war with Republicans". Politico. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  15. ^ a b c Patrick O'Connor (22 July 2013). "Heritage Foundation Becomes a Handful for the GOP". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  16. ^ a b c Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Mike McIntire (5 October 2013). "A Federal Budget Crisis Months in the Planning". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  17. ^ Mark Arsenault (11 September 2010). "GOP focus is jobs, not health care ; Candidates mostly avoid issue party pledged to hammer". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  18. ^ a b c Betsy Woodruff (27 June 2013). "Heritage Action vs. the Immigration Bill". National Review. National Review Online. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  19. ^ Jeremy Peters (15 August 2013). "A Former Engine of the GOP Cools Down". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  20. ^ a b Tim Alberta (28 August 2013). "Republican Lawmakers Retaliate Against Heritage Foundation". National Journal. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  21. ^ Bryan Bender (11 August 2013). "Thinking Big, but on Whose Dime? and to What End? ; Many D.C. Think Tanks Now Players in the Partisan Wars". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  22. ^ Michael Needham and Marlin Stutzman (1 August 2012). "The 'Farm' Bill Is No Such Thing". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  23. ^ a b Molly Ball (25 September 2013). "The Fall of the Heritage Foundation and the Death of Republican Ideas". The Atlantic. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  24. ^ CJ Ciaramella (8 February 2012). "Fill 'er Up". The Washington Free Beacon. Center for American Freedom. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  25. ^ Keith Laing (15 November 2013). "Bill would eliminate federal transportation funding". The Hill. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  26. ^ Alex Brown (5 November 2013). "American Energy Alliance Rallies Opposition to Wind Credit". National Journal. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  27. ^ "Jones Calls for end to taxpayer subsidies of wind energy". NCPoliticalNews.com. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  28. ^ "U.S. Senate vote expected today on opposing energy bills". South Strand News. Evening Post Industries. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  29. ^ David Drucker (3 September 2013). "Heritage Action Opposes Syria Resolution, Could Depress GOP Votes". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  30. ^ Associated Press (23 June 2010). "U.S.-Russia Nuke Treaty Facing Hurdles in U.S. Senate". U.S. News. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  31. ^ Associated Press (16 July 2012). "Sea Treaty all but dead, 34 GOP senators oppose". Fox News. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  32. ^ Alexander Bolton and Russell Berman (25 March 2014). "Reid drops Ukraine demands". The Hill. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  33. ^ Ambreen Ali (12 May 2011). "Trade Deals Unite Left and Right in Opposition". Roll Call. Economist Group. Retrieved 29 May 2014. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); line feed character in |date= at position 4 (help)
  34. ^ Eleanor Clift (19 June 2013). "Heritage Action Widens GOP's Immigration Split". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  35. ^ Julián Aguilar (9 April 2013). "Cornyn, McCaul to Introduce Border Security Measure". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  36. ^ Aaron Blake (14 June 2013). "Cornyn amendment is a Trojan Horse". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  37. ^ Howard Fineman (9 October 2013). "Heritage Action Bails On Debt Ceiling Fight". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  38. ^ Dana Milbank (10 October 2013). "The Shutdown's Enforcer-in-Chief". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  39. ^ a b Patrick O'Connor (31 July 2014). "Heritage Action Issues New Call to Arms". Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  40. ^ Lisa Mascaro and Christi Parsons (7 January 2014). "Jobless benefits bill takes small step in an uphill climb". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  41. ^ Jim Abrams (13 December 2012). "Bill to extend fed insurance plan dies in Senate". AP Online. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  42. ^ Ron DeSantis (14 February 2013). "Federal pay freeze bill paves way for reduced spending". The Hill. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  43. ^ Christopher Bedford (4 August 2014). "Cantor sabotages conservatives in quest for speakership". The Daily Caller. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  44. ^ Peter Schroeder (25 December 2013). "Conservative group targets Yellen vote". The Hill. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  45. ^ Jack Minor (25 February 2014). "Email Your Representative to Oppose the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2013 (H.R. 3370)". The Forge Blog. Heritage ACtion for America. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  46. ^ Alex Byers (10 April 2014). "Scoop: ECPA reform backers trying to turn heat on SEC". Politico. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
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Category:The Heritage Foundation Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States Category:Tea Party movement

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