1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

I understand your opposition to H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. This bill aims to provide tax relief and refunds for Americans who were unlawfully detained or held hostage abroad, as well as terminate the tax-exempt status of organizations that provide material support to terrorist groups. However, it raises concerns about due process and potential overreach in designating organizations as terrorist supporters. While supporting Americans unjustly detained is a worthy goal, terminating an organization's tax-exempt status without robust procedural safeguards could enable abuse and suppress legitimate dissent. The bill allows the Secretary of Treasury broad discretion in designating "terrorist supporting organizations" based on a low evidentiary standard. Judicial review is extremely limited. There are valid arguments on both sides, but ultimately, preserving constitutional protections and preventing government overreach should be paramount. A negative vote would uphold key civil liberties while still allowing Congress to address the plight of unlawful detainees through alternative legislation that provides stronger due process guarantees. I encourage a "no" vote to protect fundamental rights and check executive power.