Washington, DC | www.adc.org | November 11, 2024 – The attacks on pro-Palestinian voices continue unabated. As early as tomorrow, the U.S. House of Representatives is planning to vote on H.R. 9495, a bill that would grant the White House unprecedented and unchecked power to shut down any nonprofit organization – including civil liberties organizations, universities, media organizations, and religious institutions such as churches – based on a unilateral accusation of wrongdoing and without due process. Pro-Palestinian organizations will be the first targets, but indeed not the last. This legislation threatens all tax-exempt organizations, and it must not pass.ADC is vehemently opposed to this legislation, just as we were this past April when Members of Congress attempted to pass an earlier version of this bill.
Take Action: Demand that the House Reject H.R. 9495
This bill authorizes broad powers to the executive branch. It grants the Secretary of the Treasury virtually unfettered discretion to designate a U.S. nonprofit as a “terrorist supporting organization” and to strip it of its tax-exempt status if the Secretary claims that the organization has provided material support to a terrorist group. The legislation does not require disclosure of the reasons or evidence for the decision, nor would the government be required to provide any evidence in its possession that might undermine its decision. This leaves nonprofits entirely in the dark about what conduct the government believes qualifies as material support, preventing them from defending themselves in any way from what likely will be baseless accusations.
ADC National Government Affairs and Advocacy Director Chris Habiby said, “By threatening the tax-exempt status of advocacy organizations, the House of Representatives is arming the White House with a powerful tool to suppress freedom of speech and undermine the health of our civil society. Organizations advocating for Palestinian rights may be the first targeted, but they will not be the last. This bill threatens the tax-exempt status of universities, media organizations, and even religious institutions like churches. Congress must protect the fundamental freedoms that uphold our democracy, and reject this blatant attempt to demonize and silence voices that challenge or discomfort them, ”
Members of the House must vote NO on H.R. 9495 to protect the rights of all Americans. Both House and Senate members need to hear from constituents that this effort is a clear tactic from the authoritarian playbook, aimed at suppressing critical voices and political dissent. Now, more than ever, the work of organizations like ADC is essential.