Reece Committee

The congressional Select Committee to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations and Comparable Organizations, known during the 82nd Congress as the Reece Committee, was an investigative group in the United States House of Representatives enacted to probe the activities of tax-exempt organizations for potential subversion. It was created at the advocacy of conservative Tennessee Republican B. Carroll Reece in response to the insufficient investigations, findings, and conclusions of the previous Cox Committee.

Reece presented the following criticisms of the Cox Committee in urging for the re-enactment of the select committee during the 82nd Congress:

“

Time and facilities were inadequate. Excuses concerning grants to Communists were too readily acceptable. Trustees and officers were not under oath. Only a few Foundations were investigated. The propaganda activities of Foundations were not investigated. Foundations were not asked why they did not support projects of a pro-American type. Extensive evidence was not used. The Ford Foundation was not investigated.

”

Investigation

Obstruction

President Dwight Eisenhower, who turned against Joseph McCarthy in the latter's investigations of communist infiltration, similarly worked to undermine the work of the Reece Committee. He urged member Wayne Hays of Ohio to sabotage hearings via rude behavior to damage and undermine the committee's reputation, which the congressman did.

Findings

Among the committee's conclusions stated that significant foundations:

“

...have actively supported attacks upon our social and government system and financed the promotion of socialism and collectivist ideas.

”

See also

• McCarran Committee

External links

• Dodd Report text via Internet Archive