UNITE to STOP the Fascist HB 9495 NOW: Rally at Senator Alex Padilla’s Office

UNITE To STOP The Fascist HB 9495 NOW Rally At Democratic Senator Alex Padilla’s Office Friday December 6, 2024 12 noon 333 Bush St. San Francisco Trump and the Republican party with the support of some Democrats in the House have passed HB 9495. This fascist bill titled Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act would allow the secretary of the Treasurer to unilaterally without out any process take away non-profit status of an organization that the Secretary determines to support “terrorism”.

This means that organizations like Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, The Lawyers Guild, Greenpeace, immigrant righst organization and organizations supporting the Palestinian people could immediately be put out of business financially by the Trump appointed Treasury Secretary.

This also could include unions that for example are opposed to sending arms to Israel and in favor of a ceasefire. Unions such as the UAW, SEIU, NEA, APWU have taken positions that Trump and his fascist supporters would like to crush and this bill would give them the power to do it when he takes power. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act — would allow the Treasury Department unilateral authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it designates as a “terrorist supporting organization.”

The bill still has to be voted on in the Senate and this rally and speakout will talk about this reactionary bill and what has to be done to STOP it.

Initiated By United Front Committee For A Labor Party UFCLP Code Pink Bay Area United Front Against Deportations UFAD UFCLP.org To Endorse & Support Contact info@ufclp.org From NewsGuild https://newsguild.org/tell-congress-defend-nonprofit-workers/

TELL CONGRESS: DEFEND NONPROFIT WORKERS

Posted on November 20, 2024Author The NewsGuild-CWA This week the U.S. House is voting on H.R. 9495, a bill which includes a provision that would disempower nonprofits and pose a threat to critical organizations supporting communities nationwide. We urge Members of Congress to vote NO on H.R. 9495 given the inclusion of this provision.

This legislation threatens nonprofit workers at ProPublica, the Texas Tribune, Spotlight PA, American Civil Liberties Union affiliates, the Natural Resource Defense Council, Southern Poverty Law Center and more who are members of The NewsGuild-CWA.

And the legislation also threatens our union itself, because unions are also nonprofits.

Section 4 of the bill is particularly concerning. Titled “Termination of tax-exempt status of terrorist supporting organizations,” this provision would give the Treasury Secretary near-unilateral power to strip the nonprofit status of any organization considered to be providing “material support or resources” to a terrorist organization. Such unilateral power could easily be abused by any future administration to target political opponents, shut down newsrooms and silence freedom of speech and affiliation in the United States.

It was narrowly defeated in an earlier vote on November 12 because it failed to clear a two-thirds majority vote in the House. House Republicans reintroduced the bill in a second attempt to pass it and changed the rules so only a simple majority is needed to pass it and move it to the Senate.

I’m asking you to contact your U.S. Representative TODAY and ask them to vote NO on H.R. 9495 and preserve our free speech and the free press.

From AFL-CIO

Letter Opposing Legislation that Would be Open to Abuse by the Treasury

November 22, 2024

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495) scheduled for floor consideration this week.

We have deep concerns, along with the rest of U.S. civil society, that the powers that H.R. 9495 bestows upon the Secretary of Treasury will be vulnerable to abuse by any future Administration. The ability to revoke tax-exempt status and thereby hamstring or put out of commission any non-profit organization based on accusations without evidence or without a fair hearing would set a dangerous precedent, allowing the government to stifle dissent and for officeholders to punish critics, chilling freedom of speech and association. It is through the exercise of these freedoms that working people organize, collectively bargain, and petition their government.

It is precisely at a time when the incoming President-elect has identified various American citizens and American institutions as “enemies of the people” or “enemies from within” that Congress should be especially circumspect about expanding executive power, especially power that lacks real due process for Americans and their organizations, including their unions.

The AFL-CIO urges you to vote against the H.R. 9495 and again reject this misguided legislation as Congress did last week when it was on the suspension calendar.

Sincerely, Jody Calemine Director, Government Affairs