1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act aims to provide relief to Americans unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad by postponing tax deadlines, reimbursing late fees, and terminating the tax-exempt status of organizations providing material support to terrorist groups. While well-intentioned, concerns have been raised that revoking tax exemptions could unfairly target humanitarian groups operating in conflict zones. This act could also set a precedent for the government to strip tax-exempt status from other organizations based on subjective criteria. I urge reconsideration of this bill. Protecting Americans abroad is crucial, but it should not come at the expense of harming legitimate non-profit efforts or enabling government overreach against civil society groups. There may be more balanced approaches to achieve the bill's goals without the concerning tax provision. This complex issue warrants further examination to uphold American values of due process and freedom of association.