U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib Vocal Against New Legislation
On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, along with several progressive Democrats, voiced strong opposition to a new bill that would allow the soon-to-be President Donald Trump to remove tax-exempt status from nonprofit organizations.
Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, highlighted a letter sent to Congress by a diverse group including the ACLU in September. She criticized H.R. 9495, known as the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, on her social media platforms.
“No excuses,” she stated. “Every single one of my Democratic colleagues should be voting against this bill that gives Trump and his incoming administration dictatorial powers to target nonprofit organizations as political enemies without due process.”
As the only Palestinian American in Congress and a vocal critic of U.S. support for Israeli military actions in Gaza, Tlaib noted that H.R. 9495 appears to be a tactic to suppress protests against the ongoing conflict. Critics also fear it could be used to target groups working on environmental and reproductive rights issues.
The legislation would allow the Treasury secretary to label an organization as “terrorist-supporting” without any justification or evidence, immediately revoking its 501(c)(3) status. This controversial measure is coupled with a provision for tax relief for individuals detained or held hostage abroad and their spouses, a move seen by opponents as a way to push through the nonprofit-targeting policy.
Many Congress members have spoken out against this proposed attack on nonprofits both online and in Congress, where debate led to a postponement of the vote that was set for Tuesday evening.
Concerns from Progressive Members of Congress
“H.R. 9495 is a giant threat to free speech,” declared Representative Summer Lee (D-Pa.). “It gives Trump unchecked power to label any nonprofit as ‘terrorist-supporting’ without evidence or due process—opening the door to crush his opposition and silence dissent.”
Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), another member of the “Squad”, echoed this sentiment, stressing that “this is a dangerous threat to free speech. No one person should have the authority to silence organizations that dare to challenge government policies or speak uncomfortable truths.”
Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.) emphasized the importance of dissent in a democracy, stating, “Emboldened by the possibility of an unchallenged campaign of retaliation and persecution, Republicans are bringing H.R. 9495 to the floor AGAIN to give Trump the power to brand any organization that opposes him or his administration as a ‘terrorist.’ I voted no once, and I will be voting NO again!”
While a similar policy targeting nonprofits previously passed the Republican-led House in April but was stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate, the recent GOP victory in both chambers of Congress suggests that even if H.R. 9495 fails now, it might resurface next year.
Outgoing House progressives Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who were defeated in primaries by candidates supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), also criticized the bill. “H.R. 9495 would give Donald Trump unprecedented power to shut down any nonprofit or group that he disagrees with,” Bush stated. “This is a dangerous threat to our democracy. Congress must vote NO and stop it in its tracks.”
Bowman added, “It will sink us further into authoritarianism. It is an extremely dangerous bill that would give the government unlimited power to stop the work of humanitarian groups and target political enemies. All without transparency or evidence.”
Advocacy groups also continued to express concerns about the legislation. Paul O’Brien, executive director at Amnesty International USA, remarked, “In any other context, this legislation would be seen for what it is, a play from the authoritarian leader’s playbook. Members of Congress must recognize the danger posed and vote down this bill that could shrink civic space and silence civil society organizations.”
Similar Posts
- House Blocks Trump’s Attack on Nonprofits, Despite 52 Dems Opposition
- 52 House Democrats Urged to Reject GOP-Backed Bill That Could Cripple Nonprofits
- House Urged to Block Bill Allowing Trump to Target Nonprofits
- 15 Democrats Team Up with GOP in Controversial Nonprofit Legislation Push
- House GOP Pushes Bill Allowing Trump to Target Nonprofits
An economic reporter, Dax Everly breaks down financial trends and their impact on Americans’ daily lives.