Republicans renew push to expand federal powers to punish non-profits [View all]

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Source: The Guardian

Wed 20 Nov 2024 11.16 EST
Last modified on Wed 20 Nov 2024 12.06 EST


House Republicans have renewed a push to pass a bill that would allow the treasury department to strip non-profit groups it deems to be supporting “terrorism” of their tax-exempt status.

The so-called “non-profit killer” bill would give the government broad powers to sanction civil society organizations. Progressive groups have rallied in opposition to the bill in recent days, arguing that Donald Trump’s administration could invoke it to punish his political opponents.

The measure “would be profoundly damaging to all sorts of non-profits”, said the American Civil Liberties Union federal policy counsel, Kia Hamadanchy. “There’s the stigma of being called a terrorist-supporting organization, there are banks who may not want to transact with you once you have that status, there are donors who may not want to give you money because they’re afraid, themselves, of being called supporters of terrorism.”

The bill, titled Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, or HR 9495, failed to clear the House of Representatives last week after members attempted to fast-track it by suspending House rules, which would have required a supermajority to pass. When it failed, Republicans brought it back through the House rules committee – paving the way for a floor vote on Wednesday or Thursday, this time requiring only a simple majority. The bill ties the non-profit policy to a widely supported measure easing tax obligations for Americans unjustly imprisoned abroad.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/20/non-profit-terrorism-bill-republicans