I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 6408 and S. 4136, whether as stand-alone votes in the Senate or as inclusions in any must-pass bill from either the House or Senate. These bills would dangerously empower a single official at the Treasury Department to revoke nonprofit organizations’ tax-exempt status without due process or justification, based solely on subjective claims and secret evidence.
The motivation behind this legislation appears to stem from unfounded claims targeting certain nonprofit and student-led advocacy groups, alleging links to designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). It is important to note that providing material support to FTOs is already a federal crime, and Section 501(p) of the IRS code already grants the authority to suspend the tax-exempt status of any organization designated as supporting terrorist activities. Therefore, these bills are clearly redundant and seem intended to obstruct due process and discourage free speech.
This legislation sets a dangerous precedent that could be weaponized in the future to silence dissent by targeting any nonprofit for any political motive, under the guise of national security. Specifically, it is concerning that this legislation could be used to discriminate against 501(c)(3) organizations that provide aid to Palestinian or Palestinian-affiliated entities. Such actions would be not only redundant but also detrimental to our democratic principles.
I urge you to consider the implications of these bills on free speech and the essential work of nonprofit organizations. The enactment of H.R. 6408 and S. 4136 could severely undermine our democratic values and the right to due process.
For more information, please refer to the following resources:
• Charity & Security Network's opposition to the legislation (https://charityandsecurity.org/news/charity-security-network-opposes-legislation-that-targets-charities/)
• CAIR's press release on the threat to pro-Palestine nonprofits and advocacy groups (https://www.cair.com/press_releases/take-action-tell-your-senator-to-reject-a-bill-endangering-pro-palestine-nonprofits-and-advocacy-groups/)
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Please vote NO on H.R. 6408 and S. 4136 to protect the integrity of our nonprofit sector and uphold our democratic values.
First sent on June 18 by BlueCollarJew
