URGENT: H.R. 9495 is back–action needed!

/ Tracy Abell

Happy Monday to all who celebrate.

Last week we scored a win when H.R. 9495 was beaten back. Here’s a quick refresher on this legislation:

The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, which would empower the secretary of the Treasury to designate any nonprofit as a “terrorist supporting organization” and revoke its tax-exempt status, is set to go before the Committee on Rules on Monday for a hearing that could tee up the bill for a new floor vote. Note: quote from Noah Hurwitz’s article in The Intercept.

As Rep Lloyd Doggett points out today in this video on the House floor,  this legislation would allow the Trump administration to slap a “terrorist” label on any group it considers an enemy, and strip that organization of its tax-exempt status with NO DUE PROCESS. The immediate targets of this bill are pro-Palestinian orgs but as Doggett points out, it  would also be wielded against groups that harbor refugees, Planned Parenthood, hospitals providing abortions, environmental groups, and private universities that allow anti-Trump demonstrations. I will add that the legislation will most certainly also be weaponized against those fighting the 80 Cop Cities currently being proposed and built around the country. Note: when I wrote Climate Movement Monday: on crushing dissent back in May 2024, there were  “only” 69 Cop Cities. ALL of this is connected (as I wrote here). They are beefing up police forces and weaponizing cops in anticipation of the unrest that will increase under the weight of climate collapse and income inequality. Trump will drop the Democrats’ veneer of civility and unleash holy hell on anyone he deems a threat. H.R. 9495 gives him (and other presidents) incredible power.

The bill was defeated last week because the vote happened under a suspension of rules and required 2/3 to pass. The Republicans are bringing it to another vote on Thursday when it will only require a majority vote. Last week, 52 Democrats voted with the Republicans to give the executive office this authoritarian power to deem enemies “terrorist-supporting.” Here are those 52 Dems:

PLEASE read that list. If your Rep is on it, call them to demand they vote NO this week. If your Rep voted NO last week, call them to thank them and to ask that they vote NO again this week. If you’re not sure whether they voted NO (as a number of them didn’t cast a vote), check here to verify their vote, and then call them to demand a NO vote.

PLEASE also share this info with friends and family so that we can flood the phone lines in opposition to crushing dissent!

Thank you in advance for your engagement on this issue. We’ve got a hard road ahead of us and it’s vital we stand together. Solidarity! ✊🏾

12 thoughts on “URGENT: H.R. 9495 is back–action needed!”

  1. Wow. I just called my rep. Jamie Raskin’s office and was shocked to get an actual person answer. Anyhow I thanked him and urged him to vote no again this week. Thanks for keeping us abreast of these bills, Tracy!

    Liked by 1 person

    • That’s excellent, talking to a real human! I always feel like those calls carry more weight. Thank you so much, Mara! Heads-up that I’m posting another issue tomorrow, asking for more calls on something else. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • You’re welcome, Becky, and thank you for engaging on this. As for those Dems, there’s a big overlap with AIPAC donations. AIPAC is working VERY hard on this legislation in hopes of driving a stake through the pro-Palestinian student movement. But that’s just where it begins, and there would be repercussions throughout so many element of society. My post didn’t even mention nonprofit independent news outlets which will most definitely come under attack.

      Liked by 2 people

  3. This is what happens when our representatives are bought and paid for by the corporations. It’s disturbing to learn that the Cop Cities are growing. The minority elite in control know that the climate crisis is for real and what’s coming. Instead of changing their ways of doing business, they choose to stamp on us.

    Liked by 2 people

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