DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AmnestyInternationalUSA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AmnestyInternationalUSA</span></a> Urges No Vote on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HR9495" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HR9495</span></a></p><p>November 12, 2024 </p><p>"<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Amnesty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Amnesty</span></a> International USA warns that language in H.R. 9495 poses an alarming threat to the work of U.S. civil society organizations who document <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRights</span></a> abuses around the world and urges members of Congress to vote against it.</p><p>"If enacted, this legislation would grant the Secretary of the Treasury broad discretionary powers to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations based solely on a subjective declaration that they are 'terrorist supporting organizations.'</p><p>"'In any other context, this legislation would be seen for what it is, a play from the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/authoritarian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>authoritarian</span></a> leader’s playbook,' said Paul O’Brien, Executive Director at Amnesty International USA.</p><p>"The broad and vague authority to terminate non-profit status in the name of 'counterterrorism' is a practice that many governments have used to target civil society organizations. There are no safeguards to prevent H.R. 9495’s broad authority from being misused to harass or intimidate organizations for exercising their rights.</p><p>"The bill includes no due process for organizations deemed to be supporting 'terrorist' groups. The Secretary of the Treasury can use 'classified information' to make these designations without permitting nonprofits to review or challenge such evidence in federal courts. The loss of tax-exempt status similarly has no due process guarantees and would inflict economic harm and legally burden nonprofit organizations.</p><p>"Amnesty International USA joins more than 100 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CivilSociety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CivilSociety</span></a> groups, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ACLU" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ACLU</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BrennanCenter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BrennanCenter</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PublicCitizen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PublicCitizen</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AFT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AFT</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NEA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NEA</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LCV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LCV</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CAP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CAP</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Indivisible" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Indivisible</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NAACP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NAACP</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ReproductiveFreedomForAll" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ReproductiveFreedomForAll</span></a>, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NationalWomensLawCenter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NationalWomensLawCenter</span></a> to oppose this legislation.</p><p>"'This bill, if it becomes the law, would not require officials to explain the reason for designating a group, nor does it require any evidence,' continued O’Brien. 'Members of Congress must recognize the danger posed and vote down this bill that could shrink civic space and silence civil society organizations.'"</p><p><a href="https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/amnesty-international-usa-urges-no-vote-on-h-r-9495/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">amnestyusa.org/press-releases/</span><span class="invisible">amnesty-international-usa-urges-no-vote-on-h-r-9495/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StopHR9495" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>StopHR9495</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CriminalizingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CriminalizingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CharacteristicsOfFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CharacteristicsOfFascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRights</span></a></p>