Oppose overreach in hostage aid bill, protect civil liberties

The text outlines provisions to support American hostages abroad by postponing tax deadlines, providing refunds and abatements for penalties paid, and terminating the tax-exempt status of organizations providing material support to terrorist groups. While assisting wrongfully detained individuals is a worthy goal, the proposed methods raise serious concerns about government overreach and lack of due process. Designating organizations as "terrorist supporting" based on an opaque administrative process, without judicial oversight or a clear definition of "material support," is a slippery slope that could infringe on civil liberties and freedom of association. The potential for abuse is high, particularly given the legislation's application to classified information that cannot be effectively challenged in court. Moreover, automatically revoking an organization's tax-exempt status is an extreme penalty that should require a higher evidentiary standard and more robust due process protections. There are likely more measured approaches that could address concerns about funding terrorism without jeopardizing legitimate nonprofit activities. For these reasons, I cannot support this bill as currently written. It represents an unacceptable expansion of government power to unilaterally target organizations based on vague criteria, setting a concerning precedent that undermines fundamental rights. I urge revisions to add stronger safeguards and oversight mechanisms before considering such a consequential measure.