The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which was invited late last year to join the Secular Coalition for America, has become a member organization of the new group.
The Secular Coalition for America is a 501(c)4 lobbying organization representing the interests of atheists, freethinkers and humanists in Washington, D.C.
Last fall, SCA hired Lori Lipman Brown, who is the first fulltime freethought lobbyist (see her report below) in D.C.
The Foundation, which has a 501(c) 3 exemption, has filed an H” election waiver with the IRS, which permits tax-exempt nonprofits to direct a small percentage of income toward lobbying.
National membership organizations control the SCA. Other national member organizations include the American Humanist Association, Atheist Alliance International, Institute for Humanist Studies, Secular Student Alliance, the Secular Web (Internet Infidels) and the Society for Humanistic Judaism.
The president of SCA is Herb Silverman, a professor and Life Member of the Foundation.
The advisory board is chaired by Woody Kaplan, also a Life Member of the Foundation, and includes Rob Boston, Ed Buckner, Bruce Flamm, M.D., Wendy Kaminer, David Niose, Massimo Pugliucci, Steven Pinker and Ellery Schempp.
The purpose of the coalition is to increase visibility and respectability of nontheistic viewpoints, and to protect secular government.
“We have always felt that what freethinkers need is a lobbying group. We are pleased to represent our national membership in this coalition, which supports lobbying efforts to promote the rights of atheists and agnostics, and to defend secularism,” said Dan Barker, Foundation co-president.
To contact:
Secular Coalition for America
PO Box 53330
Washington DC 20009-9997
202/299-0109
