Quote:
Originally posted by exlurker
Update: Text of Bill Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
A Pennsylvania newspaper has the text of the college fire safety bill that was recently introduced in the U.S. House (see below). Since social fraternities and sororities would be eligible for assistance under this bill, I assume that (inter)national HQs as well as the NIC, NPHC, NPC and other organizations will be following the progress of this and any similar bills.
The House principal sponsors are listed, so people living in the appropriate states/districts might want to contact their Representatives.
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/11792641.htm
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Gamma Phi Beta International volunteers are all receiving the information from our IH on this bill and the efforts of both NPC and NIC on spearheading it. We have been asked to write to our senators and reps regarding the issue.
I would assume that we aren't the only ones doing this.
Here is the grass roots info that I received.
Grassroots Info
Members from National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and the National Pan Hellenic Conference (NPHC) member groups visited with Members of Congress in Washington, D.C. on April 19, 2005. The purpose of these visits was to encourage senators and representatives to cosponsor and vote for pending legislation that could significantly improve the safety and living conditions for students living in sorority and fraternity housing across the United States. The next step toward passage of this legislation is a grassroots campaign by all Gamma Phi Betas to let their senators and representatives know that this legislation is important to their constituents.
The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2005 (H.R. 1548/S. 713) seeks to amend the federal income tax code to allow fraternity and sorority foundations to use tax-deductible contributions to make infrastructure improvements to chapter houses. Currently, the tax code permits colleges and universities to use tax deductible contributions for virtually any purpose to benefit students, including classroom, dormitory, meeting areas and laboratory infrastructure improvements. By contrast, tax-deductible contributions to fraternity and sorority foundations can only be used for educational purposes, which limit student housing improvements to education-related facility improvements such as computers, computer labs, library additions and scholarships. Life-safety improvements to sorority housing CANNOT be funded with tax deductible dollars.
Passage of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 1548/S.713) will give Greek-letter organizations parity with colleges and universities. Like universities, fraternities and sororities would be able to fund the installation of safety equipment in chapter houses, such as fire sprinklers, with tax-deductible contributions.
On their visits with members of Congress, NPC, NIC and NPHC representatives emphasized how the American public in general will benefit from the passage of the College Housing and Infrastructure Act.
- Fraternities and sororities are the largest not-for-profit landlords of college students besides colleges and universities, housing 250,000 students at no cost to schools or taxpayers.
- Sororities and fraternities manage more than $3 billion in housing stock on U.S. college campuses but the replacement value of this housing is immeasurable.
- Many public and private universities rely on sororities and fraternities to house a significant percentage of the school’s student population.
- Most colleges and universities can not house the students that would be displaced if the sorority/fraternity housing were forced to close in the future.
- Public colleges and taxpayers save several billion dollars in taxpayer funding thanks to the residential capacity of sorority/fraternity housing.
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