Thanks to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, President-elect Donald Trump now has an additional tool to effectively dismantle any organization that mobilizes against him.
The “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act,” also known as H.R. 9495, was approved by the House with a vote of 219-184, as reported by The Intercept on Thursday. While all the no votes came from Democrats, 15 Democrats joined the Republican majority in backing the bill.
If passed, the legislation would grant the U.S. Treasury secretary the authority to designate any nonprofit as a “terrorist supporting organization” and revoke its tax-exempt status. As a result, the affected group would be rendered incapable of sustaining its operations.
Progressive forces have pledged to mount an “unprecedented resistance” to the second term of President Trump.
H.R. 9495 has the potential to target various groups that openly criticized Trump during his initial term, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, the NAACP, Planned Parenthood, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, to name a few. Additionally, nonprofit news organizations such as ProPublica, Mother Jones, the Texas Tribune, and the Center for Investigative Reporting may also face potential implications from this bill.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) emerged as a prominent critic of the bill and voiced his concerns. In his perspective, the current legislation effectively safeguards against U.S.-based organizations extending support to terrorist factions. He further contended that H.R. 9495 would essentially grant Donald Trump unrestricted power to brand his adversaries as terrorists.
“Authoritarianism doesn’t just appear overnight; it slowly infiltrates society,” Doggett emphasized on Thursday. “A dictator strengthens their control not only by seizing power but also by demanding additional authority. It becomes increasingly dangerous when those who have the ability to oppose him willingly surrender and comply with his desires.”
The U.S. Senate is now set to review the bill, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) yet to reveal his stance on the legislation. While H.R. 9495 has faced opposition from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who has been vocal about his concerns.
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