Amnesty International USA has expressed strong opposition to the recent passage of H.R. 9495 in the House of Representatives, a bill that poses significant threats to the freedom of speech and operational integrity of U.S. civil society organizations dedicated to documenting human rights abuses globally. The organization is urging the Senate to reject this legislation, which was previously blocked in the House just last week.
If enacted, H.R. 9495 would empower the Secretary of the Treasury with sweeping discretionary authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations based solely on an unsubstantiated claim that they are “terrorist-supporting organizations.” This alarming provision raises serious concerns about potential misuse and abuse of power.
“This legislation is ripped from a dictator’s playbook and must be voted down,” stated Paul O’Brien, Executive Director at Amnesty International USA. “While it offers a façade of due process, this bill is broad and dangerously vague, providing no safeguards against abuse.”
The vague criteria for terminating nonprofit status under the guise of “counterterrorism” echoes tactics employed by authoritarian regimes to target civil society organizations. Amnesty International highlights that there are no meaningful protections in place to prevent H.R. 9495 from being weaponized against groups exercising their fundamental rights. The potential loss of tax-exempt status could lead to severe economic repercussions and legal burdens for these organizations.
Amnesty International USA stands alongside over 100 civil society groups, including prominent organizations such as the ACLU, Brennan Center, Public Citizen, and Oxfam America, in opposing this bill.
“Members of Congress must recognize the danger posed by this bill to civic space and its potential for silencing civil society organizations,” O’Brien concluded. “They must not allow it to advance any further.”
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