Participating in TEI's technical activities: your how to guide.

TEI is unique because its members live daily with the tax rules others enact, administer, interpret, and apply. TEI's advocacy program is successful because it is based on member input. The Institute needs your help to remain effective.

WHAT? Advocacy is simply the means by which TEI advances its objectives by communicating its concerns and by recommending changes and improvements to the tax rules. TEI's principles are advanced through testimony, submissions, amicus briefs, and other means. TEI advocates on matters affecting business taxpayers as a whole, but avoids positions unaligned with its overall objectives and narrow issues that could divide the organization. Recurring themes include minimizing compliance burdens, simplifying complex laws and regulations, reducing tax barriers to multinational companies, and opposing disproportionate penalties. TEI's efforts are increasingly diverse, extending beyond federal efforts in the United States and Canada, to state and provincial submissions, filings with the European Commission, the OECD, European governments, and recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission.

HOW? TEI members may raise an issue in multiple ways--through their chapter (officers, committee chairs, or chapter representative to TEI's Board), region (regional vice president), Institute-level committee, TEI national leadership, or a simple telephone call or email message to TEI's staff. An issue need not be fully developed nor perfected in its presentation; it merely need be stated in sufficient detail to be understood.

WHO? You need not be a member of TEI's leadership or an Institute committee to become involved. Any and all members can--and are encouraged to--participate, directly or with the assistance of others in their company (who may have more experience with the issue). All you need to do is be willing to share your insights and ideas.

WHEN? The best opportunity to advocate successfully on issues is when an issue first arises, for example, in pending legislation or proposed regulations, or when raised on audit. Early action by TEI and its members may prevent a poorly formed proposal from advancing or a misguided audit adjustment from becoming de rigeur. Once raised with a TEI committee or staff, the issue will be fully vetted and developed. The members who raise the issue will be kept in the loop.

To fulfill TEI's mission of enhancing and improving the tax system by effectively advocating its members' views, we need your help. To participate, send an email message to [e-mail] or call 202.638.5601 and ask for a member of TEI's legal staff.