Rep. John Lewis Is New Co-Chair of Philanthropy Caucus

Rep. John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia, has agreed to serve as the new co-chair of the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, his office confirms. Mr. Lewis succeeds Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Democrat of Ohio, who died last August of a brain hemorrhage.

The Council on Foundations, which helped to set up the caucus in 2007, says it is now working with Mr. Lewis to find a Republican co-chair to replace Robin Hayes of North Carolina, who lost a reelection bid last November.

The council proposed the body, which now has 36 members, as a way to raise awareness in Congress of issues and legislation affecting foundations.

Two U.S. senators—Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Richard Burr, Republican of North Carolina—also set up a Senate Philanthropy Caucus last summer and invited colleagues by letter to join the group to “support the long tradition of good works by the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.” That body now has five members. An aide to Senator Schumer said the co-chairs plan to send another letter seeking more members once the Senate passes the economic-stimulus package.

In addition to heading the philanthropy caucus, Mr. Lewis is chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee—the panel that oversees the tax laws that govern foundations and charities.

Before joining Congress in 1986, he was a noted civil-rights leader and voter-registration activist. Mr. Lewis headed Action, the federal volunteer agency, during the Carter administration.