House Rejects Bill Giving Trump Authority to Close Nonprofits
A proposed bill that would have given President-elect Donald Trump extensive powers to investigate and potentially shut down various nonprofit organizations, including news outlets and rights groups, was defeated in the House of Representatives. This occurred after a concerted effort by progressive lawmakers and advocacy groups who highlighted the severe threats the bill posed to freedom of expression.
Despite warnings from the ACLU and other prominent civil rights organizations, 52 Democrats chose to support the bill. These included Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), who aligned with 204 Republicans in favor of the legislation.
Conversely, Republican Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky sided with 144 Democrats to oppose the bill.
The legislation did not achieve the two-thirds majority required for passing under the expedited process its backers employed. Progressives quickly pointed out the Democrats who voted in favor, questioning their commitment to civil liberties.
Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of the advocacy group Indivisible, criticized the supporting Democrats, urging immediate action to reinforce their commitment to civil liberties. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), a vocal opponent of the bill, expressed dismay on social media, stating, “these 52 Democrats voted to give Trump the power to shut down any nonprofit he wants,” highlighting that no organization, from the NAACP to Planned Parenthood, would be secure.
Implications of the Defeated Legislation
The controversial “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” would have granted the Treasury Department, anticipated to soon be led by a Trump appointee, the unilateral authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits by labeling them as terrorism supporters.
While this bill was blocked, its revival in a potentially Republican-dominated next Congress remains a possibility. Kia Hamadanchy, senior policy counsel with the ACLU, assured ongoing resistance to such legislation in discussions with The Intercept.
Current U.S. law already prohibits substantial support for terrorism, with existing executive powers to target organizations deemed supportive of terrorist activities. However, the ACLU raised concerns that the bill’s provision for a 90-day defense period for targeted nonprofits is misleading, offering only an illusion of due process. The government could withhold critical evidence and reasons from the accused organizations, effectively leaving them in the dark and unable to defend themselves adequately.
The bill’s opponents, including Robert McCaw, director of government affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, warned that it would particularly endanger organizations advocating for Palestinian and Lebanese human rights or criticizing Israeli policies. McCaw described the bill as a significant threat to free speech and democracy, potentially allowing the government to suppress dissenting voices under the guise of national security.
Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-97), a Palestinian American, strongly condemned the Democratic supporters of the legislation following the vote. Romman criticized these lawmakers for not taking the threats posed by Trump seriously and suggested that their actions should disqualify them from future leadership roles.
The rejection of this bill in the House signifies a temporary relief for civil liberties advocates, but the ongoing political dynamics suggest that the fight over such issues is far from over.
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