1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

The proposed legislation appears to be aimed at providing relief and assistance to U.S. nationals who have been unlawfully detained or held hostage abroad. However, concerns have been raised that certain provisions may grant excessive authority to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over organizations and individuals. This bill would empower the IRS to unilaterally designate organizations as "terrorist supporting organizations" and revoke their tax-exempt status based on a determination that they provided material support to other groups, even inadvertently or in minimal amounts. The process lacks robust due process protections and judicial oversight. Furthermore, the bill would require the IRS to maintain lists of individuals deemed to have been unlawfully detained or held hostage abroad, raising privacy concerns. While assisting American hostages is a worthy goal, granting the IRS such broad powers over organizations and individuals without sufficient checks and balances is concerning. A more balanced approach that provides relief to hostages while protecting civil liberties and upholding due process would be preferable. Carefully reassessing and revising the bill's provisions related to the IRS's designation authority could address these legitimate concerns.