TMC Bylaws
THE MILITARY COALITION - Bylaws
Article I – Purpose
1.1. The Military Coalition (hereinafter referred to as “The Coalition” or “TMC”) shall be comprised of military, veteran, uniformed services, family, and survivor organizations that share the following goals.
a. Maintain a strong national defense provided by dedicated, skilled, diverse, and highly capable personnel in the uniformed services.
b. Maintain compensation, benefits, and entitlements at levels sufficient to attract and retain professional uniformed services members for duty and potentially for careers of service to our nation.
c. Advocate in the interests of the uniformed services – past and present – including members' families and survivors, and protecting compensation, benefits, and entitlements earned through their dedicated service.
d. Educate the public on the extraordinary demands and sacrifices associated with a career in the uniformed services, and the need to maintain a system of compensation, benefits, and entitlements sufficient to attract and retain the kinds and numbers of high-quality personnel needed to serve and defend our nation and its allies.
1.2. To achieve these goals, we join forces as The Military Coalition and agree to the provisions of these bylaws. These bylaws are entered into under the provisions of §13.1-852.1 of the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act and, subject to the Articles of Incorporation, governs the exercise of the corporate powers and the management and administration of The Military Coalition.
1.3 Changes to the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation require 75 percent “yea” votes from all voting organizations of the TMC. Following such a vote, all Member Organizations will acknowledge either their support of the approved Bylaws and/or Articles of Incorporation, or their desire to no longer be recognized as Member Organizations
Article II - Board of Directors
2.1. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be comprised of the chief executive or their designated representatives of each of the Members of the Coalition. Supporting Organizations may not hold a seat on the Board.
2.2. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for managing the corporate affairs of the Coalition and shall meet at least once annually.
2.3. The Board of Directors shall review the finances and liabilities of the Coalition and provide advice and recommendations to the Coalition officers. Additionally, the Board of Directors will establish the Coalition’s annual budget.
2.4. The chief executive of a Member Organization may designate a representative with authority to vote and act on behalf of the chief executives and the Member Organization at meetings of the Board of Directors.
2.5. Any chief executives may request a special meeting of the Board, provided a date and time are selected to permit attendance by at least a majority vote of the members' chief executives or designated representatives.
Article III – Membership Categories
3.1. Member Organization: An organization that meets the Articles of Incorporation and Article III standards may sit on the Coalition Board of Directors and vote on articles of incorporation, amendments to the articles of incorporation, corporate bylaws or other matters considered by TMC.
3.2. Supporting Organization: A Supporting Organization cannot vote or have the privileges of a Member Organization. Otherwise, a Supporting Organization is expected to meet the same requirements as Coalition members in terms of participation in committees, attendance at Coalition meetings, and appending its name to letters, testimony, and other Coalition documents. However, Supporting Organizations are not voting members for purposes of establishing Coalition positions on the issues. Supporting Organizations may offer testimony on behalf of the Coalition if the Coalition approves such testimony in advance.
3.3. Affiliate Organization: An Affiliate Organization has issues of shared interest with TMC Member Organizations, and the affiliate will be a source of subject matter expertise for the Coalition. An Affiliate Organization does not have the voting privileges of a Member Organization. This category provides transparency to TMC member organizations with other groups that may want to work with TMC, but this relationship does not provide a pathway to Member or Supporting Organization status.
3.4. An organization’s status as a Supporting Organization may be terminated at any time by a majority vote of Coalition members present at the vote as long as there is a quorum.
3.5. The words “member,” "members," and "membership" in this document exclude Affiliate and Supporting Organizations, except as noted in Article
3.6. Member and Supporting Organizations must comply with the Articles of Incorporation and the terms of their tax exempt status as determined by the IRS
Article IV – Nature of the Association
4.1. The Coalition and its Member Organizations shall be nonpartisan and not contribute to, or otherwise support or assist, any political party or candidate, or nominee in pursuit of public office.
4.2. It is in the Coalition's interest to have all Coalition members as signatories to major Coalition submissions to Congress (e.g., testimony and omnibus correspondence to conferees).
4.3. The Coalition operates under a provision, known as the “Rule of Five” whereas decisions regarding Coalition membership, positions, correspondence, or documents shall not progress as the TMC if at least five of the Member Organizations vote “Nay”. The Rule of Five does not apply to committees since they do not include representation of the full Coalition.
4.4. If the Rule of Five is decided, the remaining organizations voting “Aye” or “Abstain” may proceed as a “Coalition of the Willing” without use of the TMC letterhead or the nomenclature.
Article V– Eligibility Criteria and Application/Admission Guidelines
5.1. Eligibility Criteria. An organization may apply to become a Member or Supporting Organization of the Coalition provided they meet the following criteria.
a. The organization agrees to actively pursue activities in support of the Coalition cited in Article I - Purpose and Article IV - Nature of the Association.
b. The organization agrees to abide by all applicable terms of these bylaws.
c. The organization must be incorporated in their state of residence as a non-profit or (as in Virginia) a non-stock corporation with a public-facing IRS Form 990, meet the terms of the Articles of Incorporation and maintains at least one representative in the Metropolitan area of Washington DC. Further requirements noted below
d. At least one of the organization’s major purposes as articulated in the Articles of Incorporation must be to enhance the general welfare of the veterans and uniformed services communities and their families and survivors.
e. Organizations can carry on programs of charitable, scientific, or educational purposes supportive of the noted communities.
f. As part of the membership application, organizations should provide a copy of its Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and IRS determination (tax exempt) letter.
g. It is perfectly acceptable for a Member Organization to have objectives that are more focused on military readiness, national defense strategy, enhancing the mission of one or more of our uniformed services, and the development of technological innovations for defense purposes. The important connection must include a commitment to improving the welfare of the communities noted.
h. The organization has a membership or support base comprised primarily of currently serving, retired, or former members of the uniformed services or their family members or survivors. The organization must have a database of members who meet the criteria specified above.
i. The organization must declare the category which most accurately defines their membership, e.g., commissioned officer, enlisted, or survivor/family.
5.2. Application Procedures. An organization desiring membership in the Coalition may contact the Membership and Nomination Committee for an application form and a copy of the Bylaws. Upon receipt of a completed application, the Membership and Nomination Committee will meet to consider the merits of the application. Based on its findings, the Committee shall propose a recommendation to TMC membership as to the acceptance or denial of the application.
5.3. Admission Guidelines. Admission of an applicant organization to participate as part of the Coalition shall be by majority vote of Member Organizations at a regular Coalition meeting.
a. An organization approved for admission shall be admitted initially as a Supporting Organization or as an Affiliate Organization.
b. After a minimum of one year in that status, a Supporting Organization may apply for member status.
c. If more than one year has passed since being granted Supporting Organization membership, then an updated member request letter will be required for the Membership and Nomination Committee.
d. An Affiliate Organization can be admitted as such with a majority vote of all current Member Organizations.
e. If the Rule of Five is invoked, the application shall not be approved. In the event an application for member status is not approved, any Member Organization may call for a vote to determine whether the applicant organization should be retained in Supporting Organization status. In such event, a majority vote of all Member Organizations shall be required for a Member Organization that has not maintained eligibility criteria to remain as a Supporting Organization.
Article VI - Agenda
6.1. The Coalition will consider, or place on its agenda for review, only issues directly related to personnel programs, compensation, entitlements, morale, welfare, and benefits of members of the uniformed services community, including active, retired, Reserve, National Guard, veterans, survivors; and the families of all those included.
6.2. Exceptions to the issues included in item 6.1 above may be approved by a majority vote of Coalition members
Article VII- Definitions
7.1. Abstention: Member Organizations may abstain from voting and these organization names will not be included on TMC external correspondence. The definitions or requirements for majority votes must be met even if Member Organizations abstain from voting.
7.2. Coalition of the Willing: Decisions regarding Coalition membership, positions, correspondence, or documents shall not progress as the TMC if the Rule of Five occurs but can go forward as a Coalition of the Willing.
7.3. Decorum: Robert’s Rules of decorum will be followed, in regards to motions, speaking, and debate as a principle duty of the presiding Vice President(s), chair, or co-chair of a TMC meeting. The Board of Director’s President will bring breaches of decorum or misconduct to the attention of the head of the offending members association for correction.
7.4. Majority Vote: A majority vote requires a two-thirds vote of Member Organizations present to vote at a regular or properly called meeting excluding blanks or abstentions to approve a TMC decision, pursuant to the other terms of these Bylaws. This threshold for majority vote is intended to reflect the importance of participation in the Coalition and to protect the consensus of the associations who are identified as Member Organizations.
7.5. Metropolitan Area of Washington, D.C.: According to 5 CFR 210.102 [Title 5 -- Administrative Personnel; Chapter I -- Office of Personnel Management], metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., means the District of Columbia; Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church Cities, Va.; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties, Va.; and Charles, Montgomery, and Prince Georges Counties, Md.
7.6. Quorum: According to Robert’s Rules a quorum for meetings is “… an assembly that must be present in order that business can be legally transacted” which for the TMC will be 51 percent or more of the Member Organizations.
7.7. Regular Meeting: A meeting of the Member Organizations, Supporting Organizations, and Affiliate Organizations. The regular meeting is typically held on the first Thursday of each month or on another agreed upon day of the week for this recurring meeting.
7.8. Simple Majority Vote: Requires 51 percent or more of the Member Organizations in attendance at a TMC committee meeting for committee decision.
7.9. Rule of Five: Decisions regarding full Coalition positions, correspondence, or documents, not to include committee votes, shall not progress as a TMC endorsed matter if there are at least five Member Organizations voting “Nay.” Abstentions are not counted in the Rule of Five vote. The Rule of Five takes precedence over a majority vote.
7.10. Special Committee: As defined by Robert’s Rules a special committee is created to perform a specific task and is dissolved when the task is completed, and the final report is given. It can be continued for an extended period to carry out what the Coalition has adopted. A Special Committee may be established by a majority vote of all Member Organizations. A Special Committee has two functions, one is to investigate, and the other is to carry out what the Coalition has adopted, e.g., update the Bylaws.
7.11. Special Meeting: A meeting scheduled when a matter must be discussed before the next regular meeting is scheduled because time is of the essence. A special meeting can also be scheduled when a discussion would be too lengthy for a regular meeting, however, the matter addressed will be presented at a regular meeting.
7.12. Standing Committee: As listed in Article XI – Standing Committees, are considered a permanent part of the Coalition. As defined by Robert’s Rules, a Standing Committee performs a continuing function that is essential to the harmonious operation of the Coalition. When the Coalition receives business that relates to the work of a Standing Committee, it will be referred to the committee. Standing Committees may be established by a majority vote of all Member Organizations.
Article VIII – Meetings
8.1. Regular meetings shall be held on the first Thursday of each month unless members agree otherwise. Fifty-one percent or more of the Member Organization shall constitute a quorum capable of transacting any business that may come before a meeting. Except for matters specified herein as requiring a majority vote of all current Member Organizations, a majority vote of those Member Organizations attending such meetings shall constitute final TMC action.
8.2. Special meetings outside of regular meetings or committee meetings of the Coalition may be called by the Vice Presidents or upon the request of a simple majority of Committee Co-Chairs. Special meetings should be scheduled with at least 24-hours’ notice, except when exigent circumstances preclude such notice. The notice of a special meeting shall include all matters to be considered at the special meeting. Supporting and Affiliate Organizations may be invited to attend. Committee Co-Chairs may call committee meetings at their discretion.
8.3. Virtual meeting or call-in capability should be made available upon request for Coalition members not able to attend or in place of the monthly Coalition meeting.
8.4. Prolonged or frequent absences from meetings do not support the Coalition which derives its strength from the active participation of its members.
a. A representative of each Member Organization shall attend at least four of every six consecutive regular meetings.
b. A reminder letter will be sent to the primary Coalition representative of an organization that fails to meet this requirement for participation.
c. If such non-participation continues, a letter of inquiry will be sent to the chief executive to assess whether it is in the mutual interests of the organization and the Coalition to continue membership in the Coalition.
d. Failure to correct non-participation will result in a vote on the organization’s continuation in the Coalition as a Member Organization and may be considered for another membership status in Article III - Membership Categories.
e. A delinquent organization may appeal a vote to cancel its membership in the Coalition and may request to be retained in the Coalition as a Member Organization, Supporting Organization or Affiliate Organization provided the Rule of Objection is not invoked.
f. Process for an excused absence: A Member Organization conducting an annual convention, or likewise important engagement, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the Coalition shall inform the Coalition Secretary or other Coalition officer of an upcoming absence and request to be granted an authorized absence for the specified month.
Article IX- Representation and Voting
9.1. A Member Organization may have as many representatives as necessary to fulfill its commitments to the Coalition but shall have only one vote.
9.2. Majority vote shall signal a Coalition decision, except in those instances where another vote margin is specified in these bylaws.
9.3. TMC letters require a majority vote. Silence by a Member Organization shall be counted as an abstention.
9.4. To add or remove a Coalition member, 75 percent of all current Member Organizations must agree.
9.5. Whenever a Rule of Five or majority vote opposes a proposed Coalition action, or position is not attained, that issue will not be pursued as a Coalition initiative. In all events, each Member Organization and Supporting Organization shall remain free to pursue action as a Coalition of the Willing or any independent action it deems appropriate consistent with the requirements specified in Article IV - Nature of the Association.
9.6. Members' representatives shall keep their respective chief executives apprised of Coalition business; they are considered to possess the authority of their leadership when casting votes at Coalition meetings.
Article X - Officers
10.1. Board of Directors officers shall include a President, Secretary and Treasurer. The President shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and the remaining positions shall be elected by a majority vote of all current Member Organizations for a term of two years. These officers shall serve without compensation.
10.2. Coalition officers shall include three Vice Presidents and a Coordinator. These officers shall serve without compensation. The Vice Presidents and Coordinator shall be elected by a majority vote of all current Member Organizations for a term of three years. The Vice Presidents shall be elected on a staggered basis.
10.3. The elected positions of the Vice Presidents should represent the Member Organizations with an officer, enlisted, and survivor/family member. A mid-term vacancy can be filled with a volunteer, regardless of representation, until the end of the vacancy term but all attempts should be made to follow the above representation.
10.4. President: The President is authorized to call and establish the agenda for Board of Directors meetings; preside at Board of Directors meetings; provide fiduciary oversight to the Coalition budget; annually appoint a committee of not less than three members, who do not have access to Coalition funds; audit the Coalition finances and report its findings to the Board; and perform other duties as may be directed by the Board of Directors.
10.5. Secretary: The Secretary is authorized to record, report, and disseminate the minutes of the Board of Directors meetings and monthly Coalition meetings; maintain the Coalition membership roster and contact information; record, report, and disseminate the minutes of the monthly Coalition meetings; file required annual reports with the Commonwealth of Virginia; perform such other duties as may be directed by the Board of Directors.
10.6. Vice Presidents:
a. Preside at Coalition meetings.
b. Establish the agenda for the monthly regular meeting of the Coalition and get bullets from the Committee Co-Chairs on the remarks they will provide at the meeting.
c. Divide the committees between the Vice Presidents for assistance and mentoring and to provide expertise on the issues to ensure Coalition positions include all the populations represented by the Member Organizations, as appropriate.
d. Ensure Coalition documents and legislative or policy decisions are clearly defined and disseminated to the appropriate addressees; respond to queries concerning the Coalition and its positions.
e. Appoint special committee Chair or Co-Chairs and assign to a Vice President for assistance.
f. Manage advocacy engagements and Congressional events.
g. Perform other duties, as necessary.
10.7. Coordinator: Maintain version control and standardization for formatting TMC letters and other documents. Disseminate committee-approved correspondence for coordination and sign-on by associations. Coordinate with the Communications/Website Committee to update the website, post completed letters and other documents.
10.8. Treasurer:
a. Maintain and oversee the Coalition’s finances and file required annual reports with the Internal Revenue Service.
b. Maintain an account in the Coalition’s name in a federally insured financial institution and/or a balanced mutual fund with a low expense ratio, as selected annually by the Coalition’s Board of Directors.
c. Provide, at every regularly scheduled meeting for the members’ approval, a report on the state of the Coalition’s finances.
d. Provide Coalition financial records to the financial audit committee appointed by the President.
e. The Treasurer shall be bonded by either his or her parent organization or the Coalition, as verified by the TMC President.
10.9. Committee Co-Chairs:
a. Call for meetings as needed.
b. Establish and track legislative goals for the committee.
c. Update the members on committee meetings or actions at the monthly meeting. Provide the assigned Vice-President and Secretary with bullets for inclusion in the TMC monthly meeting agenda on the remarks they will provide.
d. Responsible for Coalition letters and documentation originating from their committee and submit to the coordinator for dissemination when a committee elevates the letter for full TMC consideration.
- When submitting correspondence for consideration by the TMC the Committee Co-Chairs will be identified as the POC(s), they will provide a synopsis of the requested action, set a suspense date for votes, and will track and tally votes.
- Co-Chairs will make calls to members who do not respond to the Coordinator’s e-mail in an effort to garner as many responses as possible for a majority vote.
10.10. Parliamentarian: The TMC President shall appoint an individual on an annual basis who will advise the Board of Directors, President, Vice Presidents, other officers, and committees on interpreting Roberts Rules of Order, application of the Bylaws and adhering to the Articles of Incorporation.
Article XI - Committees
11.1. The Coalition shall have the following standing committees, which shall recommend goals, positions, and actions by simple majority to the full Coalition within their purview for the consideration of the membership.
Awards
Personnel
Communications/Website
Retired Affairs
Guard and Reserve
Survivor Programs
Health Care
Taxes and Social Security
Membership and Nominations
Veterans
11.2. The Vice Presidents, in agreement, may appoint Special Committees as needed or as provided in these bylaws. See Article X – Officers. The establishment of a new Standing Committee requires a TMC majority vote.
11.3. Each Member and Supporting Organization shall have at least one representative assigned to no fewer than one standing committee. Representatives so assigned agree to participate actively in that committee’s activities by attending at least every other meeting called by the Committee Co-Chairs.
11.4. Members of standing committees shall elect Committee Co-Chairs of their respective committees. In electing the Committee Co-Chairs, every effort shall be made to distribute these positions equitably among Member Organization populations, consistent with their organization’s interests and expertise.
11.5. A Member Organization may assign as many representatives as it wishes to a committee, but any given organization shall have only one vote in the committee.
Article XII - Elections
12.1. The President of The Military Coalition, Incorporated, shall be elected by the Board of Directors from its own membership. In the event of a vacancy between scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors, the Membership and Nominations Committee shall be notified to comply with the instructions listed in 12.2 below to fill the remaining term of the vacancy. An interim President may be elected by use of electronic communications. The results shall be announced to each member of the Board of Directors and maintained on file by the Secretary of the Board for at least three (3) years from the date of the announcement.
12.2. Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and Coordinator will be elected as specified in Article X - Officers, upon the expiration of an officer's term of office or upon a vacancy in an officer’s position.
a. In electing the Vice Presidents, the members should consider choosing one commissioned officer, one enlisted, and one survivor/family representative, when possible. No Member Organization may fill more than one Vice President position.
b. The Vice Presidents shall instruct the Membership and Nominations Committee to solicit nominations, to distribute and tally ballots, and otherwise conduct the election. Any member may submit a nomination for a vacant office to the Membership and Nominations Committee.
c. Any nominee receiving the most votes shall be declared elected.
d. In the event there are two or more nominees for an office, the vote will be private, and votes tallied by the Secretary. Single nominees will be confirmed by acclamation unless the Rule of Objection is invoked
e. In the event there are three or more nominees for an office, if no candidate receives the most votes, the nominee receiving the fewest votes shall be eliminated and successive votes shall be taken until one nominee receives the most votes.
f. In the event an incumbent officer leaves office before the end of their term, the Membership and Nominations Committee shall be notified to comply with the instructions listed above to fill the remaining term of the vacancy.
g. Candidates for TMC leadership positions must have the support of their chief executive.
Article XIII - Support of Coalition Testimony and Correspondence
13.1. A Member Organization or Supporting Organization who abstains on a TMC vote or requests to have its name removed from a specific submission of Coalition testimony or correspondence shall be honored.
13.2. It is in the Coalition's interest to have all Coalition members as signatories to Coalition submissions to Congress (e.g., testimony and omnibus correspondence to conferees). Therefore, Committee Co-Chairs should make a reasonable effort to accommodate expression of an organization's minority view on a specific topic for such submissions (e.g., accepting edits or an asterisk to indicate an organization’s non-support on one topic, thus indicating support for all other topics or aspects of the document). Such accommodation shall be made only to the extent that it does not undermine the purpose of the Coalition document (e.g., how legislation or an issue effects the minority or expressions of dissent on multiple topics).
13.3. For a testimony, correspondence, or other document to be codified as a Coalition position, there must be a majority vote. Committee Co-Chairs will seek the maximum support for every position, but only up to a reasonable point giving sufficient time for associations to respond, normally five days or more, to engage Congress and federal or state entities in a timely manner except when the requirement is less than five days to meet an entity’s suspense date.
13.4. After reasonable attempts to garner a response, silence from an association will be recorded as an abstention and not counted toward the Rule of Objection.
13.5. The annual omnibus communications (testimony and letters to conferees on the NDAA) are the primary means by which the Coalition expresses its core values to Congress. An organization's persistent declination to lend its name to these documents may result in a vote to reconsider the organization's TMC membership, in accordance with Article III - Membership Categories.
Article XIV – Presenting Testimony
14.1. When the Coalition is requested to provide congressional testimony, the first choice to provide such testimony normally shall be offered to the President and Vice Presidents or the appropriate Committee Co-Chairs.
14.2. Should a designated witness be unable to testify on the specified date, the Vice Presidents shall select a replacement witness.
14.3. Each witness shall be responsible for preparing his or her own oral testimony sufficiently in advance to ensure coordination and, where applicable, modifications by the Coalition at least 48 hours before the Congressional due date.
14.4. All oral statements shall reflect highlights of the written testimony approved by a majority vote of the Coalition.
Article XV - Issues
15.1. Member Organizations having an issue or letter to be considered by the Coalition shall provide the necessary background information and references to the appropriate Committee Co-Chairs for review and recommendation. If the matter is agreed to by a simple majority of the committee, the Committee Co-Chair will forward the issue or letter to the assigned Vice President for consideration at a regular or special meeting.
15.2. On matters of urgency, when the Vice Presidents consider there is insufficient time to convene a meeting, a majority vote of the Coalition can be obtained by e-mail or other means of communication.
15.3. An expedited process for a TMC letter is allowed when the Coalition reissues a full TMC letter of support for legislation being reintroduced.
This type of letter will only require administrative changes such as a date, bill number, change in addressee, or bill title. Only a call for “nay” votes from associations would be required for those who wish to be removed from the original letter. This will expedite the letter process for reintroduced legislation from the previous Congress if the issue was fully vetted by the originating TMC committee letter.
15.4. Approved TMC Congressional bill letters will automatically include any associations to a TMC letter for a companion bill that may be issued at a later date from the originating bill.
Article XVI - Finances
16.1. The Treasurer may execute disbursements in accordance with the annual budget approved by the Board of Directors.
16.2. Other disbursements up to $2,500 shall be approved by a majority vote of the members, except that the Vice Presidents acting together, may approve the disbursement of up to $500 for emergency or unforeseen purposes.
16.3. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, no chief executive on the Board of Directors, TMC officer or representative from a Member Organization, Supporting Organization or Affiliate Organization may take possession of any of the assets, funds, or property of the Coalition, or accept a loan from the Coalition, or make any such loan.
16.4. The President shall appoint a committee of not fewer than three members, who do not have access to Coalition funds, to perform an annual audit of the Coalition finances and report its findings to the Board of Directors. The President may direct the audit findings be presented at a regular meeting of the Coalition.
16.5. In the event of final dissolution of the Coalition, and after the discharge of all its liabilities, the remaining assets of the Coalition shall be given to one or more tax-exempt organizations whose purpose is to assist United States uniformed services members. Any such organization(s) shall be designated by a majority vote of the Coalition members.
Article XVII - Revenue
17.1. The Coalition may from time to time adopt methods by which to raise operational revenues.
17.2. No Member or Supporting Organization shall be required to pay dues, contribute money, or participate in any financial undertaking approved by the Coalition membership.
17.3. The Coalition shall accept voluntary contributions from members and Supporting Organizations, but not from any outside organization.
17.4. Total amounts contributed by members and Supporting Organizations shall be noted in the Treasurer’s report without identifying the contributing organization to guard against creating inadvertent pressures for contributions from others.
Article XVIII - Duration and Amendment of the Bylaws
18.1. These bylaws, formerly titled the Membership Agreement, were amended and approved by the members of the Coalition on 1st day of December 2022. These bylaws shall remain in effect in perpetuity, unless revoked or amended by a majority vote of the Member Organizations – such votes must be Aye or Nay with no abstain votes being accepted.