Oppose HR9495—Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act
At our December meeting, our Club voted to join 354 civil liberties, religious, reproductive health, immigrant rights, human rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+, environmental, and educational organizations in opposing HR 9495—the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.” https://www.aclu.org/documents/civil-society-letter-to-congress-opposing-hr-9495
This bill, which passed the House and went on to the Senate, does two things. One of them is sensible, right, good and worthy of bi-partisan support. The other —not so much.
The first three sections of the bill make sure that when the Americans who are being held hostage by Hamas finally come home, they will not face tax penalties for failing to file their tax returns while being held hostage. That’s good. So why did Representatives Kamlager-Dove, Lieu, and Schiff all vote “nay” on this bill? https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024477
It’s section four of the bill that makes grass roots not-for-profit organizations get nervous. That’s the part that terminates the tax-exempt status of “terrorist supporting organizations.” To be clear, that is NOT “terrorist organizations” but something new—a “terrorist supporting organization.” Given that the definitions of the words “terrorist” and “support” can be dangerously elastic, who will decide whether an organization is to be designated as a “terrorist supporting organization”? The bill says that designation will be made by the Secretary of the Treasury. And who will designate the Secretary of the Treasury? Donald John Trump. See the problem?
Trump’s Treasury Secretary might designate the ACLU or Planned Parenthood or the Women’s March, or the Culver City Democratic Club, a “Terrorist Supporting Organization,” and the designated’s not-for-profit’s tax-exempt status would be terminated without meaningful recourse.
The Culver City Democratic Club calls on our U.S Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff to vote “No” on HR9495.
Support S2074—Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act
At our December meeting, our Club voted to support the PRESS Act. The Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act (PRESS Act, S.2074) is a bipartisan federal shield law that would protect journalist-source confidentiality, subject to common-sense exceptions, such as cases involving terrorism, other serious emergencies, or journalists suspected of crimes. https://www.spj.org/the-press-act-what-it-is-and-why-its-important-to-get-it-passed/
Representative Kevin Kiley, who joined Representative Jamie Raskin in co-sponsoring the bill, explained it this way: “Liberty depends on the freedom of the press. Journalists are often the first to expose government fraud, waste, abuse and encroachments on personal freedoms. A critical aspect of the freedom of the press is the pursuit of truth without government entanglements or intimidation. Administrations from both political parties have unjustly targeted journalists and used compulsory process to obtain information from them about their sources. Most states have protected journalists from such interference, and it is past time for Congress to do so as well.”
You may think that something so good could never pass the Republican House of Representatives, but it did. In January 2024, the House unanimously passed the legislation. Now it’s in the Senate.
The Culver City Democratic Club calls on our Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff to support S.2074-The Press Act.
To Contact our U.S. Senators:
Senator Alex Padilla Email:
https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
Washington Phone: 202 224 3553
Los Angeles Phone: 310 231 4494
Senator Adam Schiff Email:
https://www.schiff.senate.gov/contact/
Washington Phone: 202 224 3841