IRS Loses Bid to Approve Deal Allowing Church Political Speech

Federal courts lack the authority to sign off on a deal between the IRS and religious organizations that would allow churches to engage in political speech while keeping their tax-exempt status, a federal district court in Texas said Tuesday.

National Religious Broadcasters and other religious groups and churches claimed the Johnson Amendment—which prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from endorsing or proposing political campaigns—was unconstitutional. In July 2025, a proposed consent decree between the groups and the IRS allowed a church to engage in good faith communication to its congregation about politics during a religious service without violating the Johnson Amendment or ...