1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, must not be passed by the Senate. This dangerous legislation grants the Treasury Secretary unilateral power to investigate and effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization, including news outlets, universities, and civil society groups, by stripping their tax-exempt status based solely on an accusation of wrongdoing. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have voiced opposition, and a coalition of over 300 nonprofit organizations across the ideological spectrum have expressed deep concerns about the consequences for our civil rights and civil liberties. The House narrowly blocked this bill last week after receiving over 100,000 messages urging them to oppose it, yet it was still passed 219-184 just days later. This anti-democratic legislation threatens the freedom of speech, press, and association that are fundamental to American democracy. The Senate must reject H.R. 9495 to protect these core civil liberties from unjustified government overreach and safeguard the ability of civil society organizations to operate without fear of politically-motivated reprisal for dissenting views.