1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

The proposed legislation H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, raises concerns about potential abuse of power. Section 4 of the bill grants the Secretary of the Treasury unilateral authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations deemed to be providing material support to terrorist organizations. This provision could be exploited for political purposes by the current administration. Representatives Doggett and Beyer have submitted an amendment to strike Section 4 from the bill, addressing this issue. Voting against H.R. 9495 entirely or insisting on the adoption of the Doggett-Beyer amendment before supporting the legislation would safeguard against the misuse of such broad discretionary powers. Preserving the integrity of the nonprofit sector and preventing the politicization of tax-exemption determinations is crucial. The proposed amendment offers a reasonable compromise by retaining the provisions aimed at assisting American hostages while eliminating the concerning overreach of authority granted to the Treasury Secretary. I urge you to either oppose H.R. 9495 in its current form or demand that the House Rules Committee adopt the Doggett-Beyer amendment before lending your support.