November 10, 1997 Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 450 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20549 Re. File No. S7-26-97 Dear Mr. Katz: I am writing on behalf of the California Coalition of United Cerebral Palsy Associations. Our Coalition consists of twelve affiliates across California providing direct community care for over 5,000 persons with disabilities and coordinating services for thousands more. We are very concerned about H.R. 944 and 945. These bills would require public corporations and investment funds regulated by the SEC to disclose charitable contributions to shareholders (H.R. 944) and require that shareholders participate in the designation of charitable corporate contributions (H.R. 945). We believe this legislation is not a altruistic move toward greater corporate accountability and shareholder participation, but rather simply a thinly veiled effort to curb contributions to non-profit organizations like UCP. H.R.944 and 945 are nothing more than attempts to move corporate philanthropy away from the social and medical service non-profit sector. Taken together these bills should be rejected out of hand simply because they are poorly crafted and, as currently written, unworkable. If passed, the sponsors of these bills will, however, win simply because corporate boards will decide to forego any giving rather than attempt to comply with the regulations of the bills. Thank you for considering our position. Please be aware that UCP, like many other non-profit organizations, must substantially supplement the various federal and state funding streams upon which we rely. And, it might also be pointed out to committee members that what would most likely result from the passage of these bills would be a "cost shift". This would occur as government funding streams would eventually increased to compensate for the money lost from corporate giving. Sincerely, Jane Lefferdink Chairperson