"Instead of bullying our nation's charities, the White House should look at the calendar, stop the political campaign and start negotiating with Republicans to find a real and balanced solution that ensures America can both avert our fiscal cliff and confront our debt crisis."

WASHINGTON - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Michigan) issued the following statement after the White House convened a call this morning with the charitable giving community:  

"Today, the White House chose to mislead and scare America's charitable giving community, using them as pawns in an effort to achieve their tax hike proposal. This is abhorrent, wrong and needs to stop.  The truth is that the White House plan is the only one that has a cap on deductions - and it's in the President's budget for everyone to see.  Instead of bullying our nation's charities, the White House should look at the calendar, stop the political campaign and  start negotiating with Republicans to find a real and balanced solution that ensures America can both avert our fiscal cliff and confront our debt crisis.  What the White House did today is disturbingly reminiscent of how it conducted itself during congressional consideration of ObamaCare - telling groups that they better back the White House - or else.  Bullying isn't leading. These kind of intimidation tactics are unacceptable, and they need to stop now."

NOTE:  The President included a cap on deductions on page 39 of his budget proposal that can be found HERE.  As further evidence of the President's cap proposal, see this Washington Post story:  Obama Defends Push to Cut Tax Deductions for Charitable Gifts that can be found HERE.

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