{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://adams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-adams-raskin-introduce-honest-act-protect-colleges-politically", "Reps. Adams, Raskin Introduce HONEST Act to Protect Colleges from Politically Motivated IRS Investigations", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "Alma S. Adams", "A000370", "adams.house.gov", "adams", "https://adams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced the Higher Education Oversight for Nonprofits Ensuring Standards and Transparency Act, or the HONEST Act, to establish new safeguards for IRS investigations of colleges and universities.\n\nThe bill comes as the Department of the Treasury and IRS move forward with new regulations affecting the tax-exempt status of private schools, including colleges and universities. Under the new proposal, as many as 18,000 schools could be affected, along with roughly 750,000 students who receive scholarships tied to race, ethnicity, or national origin. The rule would reach beyond admissions to scholarships, student programs, and other policies that colleges use to serve their students.\n\n\u201cI spent 40 years as a professor, and I know our colleges and universities should not have to worry about the IRS being used as a political weapon,\u201d said Congresswoman Adams,Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. \u201cThe HONEST Act does not prevent the IRS from enforcing the law, it simply ensures a fair and transparent process before the federal government investigates a college or university.\u201d\n\n\u201cLike other institutions, colleges and universities in the United States are entitled to \u2018Due Process,\u2019 the two most beautiful words in the English language,\u201d said Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08). \u201cI am glad to partner with Representative Adams to introduce the HONEST Act, which preserves important federal tax investigation authorities while ensuring that colleges and universities get the same Due Process protection as houses of worship receive.\u201d\n\nThe HONEST Act mirrors protections that already exist for churches and houses of worship, where the IRS must follow added procedures before opening certain tax inquiries. The bill would bring a similar process to colleges and universities, adding due process without taking away the IRS\u2019s ability to hold schools accountable when they break the law.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).\n\n\u201cThe American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for the nation\u2019s colleges and universities, with nearly1,600 member institutions, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad, strongly endorses the HONEST Act,\u201d said a representative of the American Council on Education. \u201cThe HONEST Act creates strong guardrails to protect our nation\u2019s colleges and universities, both public and private nonprofit institutions, from the misuse of federal tax-exempt oversight authority by the Department of the Treasury and the IRS. This bill would make important enhancements to protections already in law and we hope it will be swiftly taken up and passed by the full Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cNonprofit organizations, including institutions of higher education, have had their tax-exempt status threatened for no more than failure to operate in accordance with prevailing administrative orthodoxy,\u201d said Dr. Charles L. Welch, President & CEO of the AASCU. \u201cColleges and universities must be able to carry out their missions\u2014advancing academic achievement, research, and workforce preparation\u2014without concern that lawful operations could trigger punitive action. The HONEST Act provides important safeguards to ensure transparency, consistency, and fairness in oversight of nonprofit institutions.\u201d\n\nThe HONEST Act would:\n\nProtect academic decisions from being used as a reason for an IRS investigation: The IRS cannot target a school based solely on its curriculum, accreditation, or other academic policies unless there is a violation of federal law.\n\nMake the IRS explain why it is investigating a school: A senior Treasury official must document evidence of a clear tac regulation violation an inquiry begins.\n\nGive the school a chance to respond: Colleges and universities must be told what the IRS is looking at and have an opportunity to meet with the agency.\n\nPut a time limit on investigations: IRS examinations generally must be finished within two years.\n\nStop the IRS from repeatedly reopening the same issue: After a clean review, the IRS generally cannot come back on the same issue for five years.\n\nRequire another level of review before serious action is taken: The IRS cannot revoke tax-exempt status or take certain other enforcement actions without additional internal approval.\n\nRequire Congress to be notified: Treasury must report these investigations to the House and Senate tax-writing committees.\n\nApply the protections to public colleges and certain university foundations and endowments.\n\nA one pager for the bill can be found here.", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://adams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-adams-raskin-introduce-honest-act-protect-colleges-politically"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8059358224272728, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}