1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act should not be passed due to potential risks it poses to non-profit organizations. The provision allowing the Secretary to designate organizations as "terrorist supporting organizations" based on providing any material support to groups deemed terrorist organizations is concerning. This broad authority could lead to unfair targeting of non-profits for political reasons and shut them down, stifling civil society. While the intent may be to curb terror financing, the vague language risks ensnaring legitimate non-profits engaged in humanitarian or advocacy work. Protecting freedom of association and due process is paramount. Alternative approaches should be explored that uphold constitutional rights while still addressing terrorism financing concerns through more narrowly tailored measures with rigorous safeguards against abuse of power.