1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I’m writing as a constituent to express my strong opposition to H.R.987, the so-called “Fair Access to Banking Act.” On the surface, this bill claims to ensure neutral access to financial services, but in practice, it opens the door to government overreach and political weaponization of the banking system, particularly under far-right influence. While its supporters claim it protects businesses from being “discriminated against” by banks, in reality, this bill would coerce financial institutions into doing business with politically favored but high-risk clients—including arms manufacturers, fossil fuel companies, and extremist political groups—under threat of regulatory punishment. More urgently, I’m concerned about how this legislation could be turned against marginalized communities. The vague and broad requirements could be used to force banks to cut off services to adult content creators, LGBTQ platforms, or even furry fandom communities, which have already been targeted and vilified by the MAGA movement and the broader Republican Party. Under an administration hostile to queer people, sex workers, or online subcultures, this bill could be abused to pressure financial institutions to shut down accounts associated with these communities, framing them as “reputational risks” or “inappropriate clients.” It could also be used to chill dissent, especially in regard to political speech around Donald Trump, U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza, or opposition to ICE’s deportation practices. When corporations and banks are legally compelled to serve certain clients but can face government retaliation for serving others, we risk turning our financial system into a tool of political enforcement. This bill’s language, under the guise of “fairness,” strips private financial institutions of their discretion and paves the way for authoritarian misuse of financial tools. As we’ve seen in other countries, controlling who can access money is a frighteningly effective method to silence opposition and push minority groups out of public life. Please do the right thing and vote against H.R.987. Protect the integrity of our financial system and stand against any effort that could punish marginalized people or suppress political dissent under the pretense of “access.” Thank you for your time and for your service to our district.