Contact: Christiaan Perez, media@hispanicfederation.org
Washington, D.C. – This week, the House of Representatives will once again vote on H.R. 9495, legislation that would empower the Secretary of the Treasury to virtually eliminate nonprofit groups with the stroke of a pen. In response to the scheduled vote, Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation issued a statement urging all lawmakers to reject this bill and support the Senate version of the bill “Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” instead:
“The proposed legislation is a dangerous expansion of unchecked, unilateral executive authority. This bill would empower the Secretary of the Treasury to designate organizations as “terrorist supporting” with scant oversight or review. Such over-reaching authority would threaten the very existence of tax-exempt organizations – from news outlets to universities and civil organizations. This legislation effectively allows the Treasury to ‘cancel’ any nonprofit that the White House disagrees with without due process, thus hindering the operations of millions of non-profits that serve and uplift communities across the nation and creating a level of uncertainty that would unpredictably and chaotically sway depending on whoever is in the White House.
Federal law already strictly prohibits organizations from supporting terror groups. The bill in its current form is wholly unnecessary. Thankfully, House members have already begun to recognize the threats this bill poses to civil society by rejecting one attempt at passing it last week. We are heartened that so many elected officials stand ready to defend American freedoms, but sadly with Monday’s vote schedule, H.R. 9495 remains a threat. Subsequently, Hispanic Federation implores the House once again to oppose this bill, and instead take up the parallel text passed by the Senate.
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Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized, and immigrant Latinos. With programs in 40 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
