Amnesty International USA warns that language in H.R. 9495 poses an alarming threat to the work of U.S. civil society organizations who document human rights abuses around the world and urges members of Congress to vote against it.
If enacted, this legislation would grant the Secretary of the Treasury broad discretionary powers
to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations based solely on a subjective
declaration that they are “terrorist supporting organizations.”
“In any other context, this legislation would be seen for what it is, a play from the authoritarian leader’s playbook,” said Paul O’Brien, Executive Director at Amnesty International USA.
The broad and vague authority to terminate non-profit status in the name of “counterterrorism” is a practice that many governments have used to target civil society organizations. There are no safeguards to prevent H.R. 9495’s broad authority from being misused to harass or intimidate organizations for exercising their rights.
The bill includes no due process for organizations deemed to be supporting “terrorist” groups. The Secretary of the Treasury can use “classified information” to make these designations without permitting nonprofits to review or challenge such evidence in federal courts. The loss of tax-exempt status similarly has no due process guarantees and would inflict economic harm and legally burden nonprofit organizations.
Amnesty International USA joins more than 100 civil society groups, including ACLU, Brennan Center, Public Citizen, AFT, NEA, LCV, CAP, Indivisible, NAACP, Reproductive Freedom for All, and National Women’s Law Center to oppose this legislation.
“This bill, if it becomes the law, would not require officials to explain the reason for designating a group, nor does it require any evidence,” continued O’Brien. “Members of Congress must recognize the danger posed and vote down this bill that could shrink civic space and silence civil society organizations.”
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