1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act proposes significant changes that raise concerns. While supporting American hostages is a noble goal, terminating the tax-exempt status of organizations deemed "terrorist supporting" based on an opaque administrative process without judicial review threatens civil liberties and could be abused for political purposes. The potential for unchecked government overreach in revoking tax-exemptions is troubling. Furthermore, the bill's approach to managing tax obligations for hostages is overly complex, creating burdensome compliance requirements. A more streamlined process focused on reasonable extensions and penalty waivers would better serve affected individuals during an unimaginably difficult situation. I urge you to reconsider this legislation. Protecting civil liberties and avoiding excessive bureaucracy should be prioritized over an impractical enforcement regime that could enable abuse of power. Simpler, rights-preserving approaches would better achieve the bill's aims without compromising core values.