CAIR ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Member of Congress to Vote NO on Nonprofit Killer Bill Aimed at Silencing Palestine Activism

Today, join the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in calling on your member of Congress to “VOTE NO” on the Nonprofit Killer Bill, a proposed law that would grant unchecked power to the incoming Trump administration’s Secretary of the Treasury to revoke the nonprofit tax status of any religious and advocacy organizations without evidence, charges or due process.

Today, Tuesday, Nov. 12, the House is scheduled to vote on H.R. 9495, sometime after 2:00 PM ET. In September, U.S. House Ways and Means Committee voted to advance the act with bipartisan Democratic and Republican support. There is a high likelihood this act will pass without strong opposition from House Democrats.

TAKE ACTION: URGE CONGRESS TO OPPOSE ANTI-NONPROFIT TAX BILL H.R. 9495

Earlier today, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw sent the following statement to every member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“Every member of Congress who claims to be an ally of American Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities must unequivocally vote NO on H.R. 9495 if it includes any language that grants unchecked authority to revoke the nonprofit status of religious and advocacy groups without cause, charges, or due process. This bill dangerously weaponizes the Treasury against nonprofit organizations and houses of worship – Christian, Jewish, or Muslim – that dare to support Palestinian and Lebanese human rights or criticize Israel’s genocidal actions. Allowing such sweeping, unchecked power would set a chilling precedent, enabling the government to selectively target and suppress voices of dissent under the guise of national security. This isn’t just an attack on our communities; it’s a fundamental threat to free speech and democracy.”

For months, CAIR has been opposing H.R. 9495, misleadingly titled the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.”

While CAIR supports the bill’s core purpose—to aid U.S. nationals wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad—the legislation is marred by a provision that allows the treasury secretary to unilaterally revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits deemed “terrorist-supporting” based on vague, subjective criteria. This harmful language, drawn from H.R. 6408 and S. 4136, appears aimed at chilling legitimate criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian human rights. CAIR urges lawmakers to either remove this provision or reject the bill altogether.

Last month, CAIR joined 100 groups in letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johson saying H.R. 9495: “poses a direct threat to the constitutional rights of any American nonprofit, house of worship, or advocacy organization, whether conservative, moderate, or liberal in orientation.”

In May, CAIR joined 135 civil liberties, human rights, community, faith, and privacy organizations in a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance opposing S. 4136. The letter raised several concerns that apply to HR, 9495, including:

• Broad Discretionary Powers and Potential for Abuse: The bill would grant the Secretary of the Treasury broad powers to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits based on subjective determinations of being “terrorist-supporting organizations.” Without sufficient accountability, this power could be misused by any administration to arbitrarily target organizations, especially in an increasingly polarized political environment.
• Threat to Free Speech and Legitimate Advocacy: The proposed legislation poses a serious threat to free speech, as it could be used to target organizations advocating for politically sensitive issues. Recent attempts by state governors and universities to suppress Jewish and Palestinian advocacy groups underscore the dangers of such unchecked powers. The inclusion of provisions aimed at silencing criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights, especially in light of ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank, is particularly concerning. Codifying this bias would institutionalize prejudice and undermine America’s commitment to human rights and equality.
• Due Process and Legal Concerns: The bill would allow the use of “classified information” to designate organizations as “terrorist-supporting,” without permitting them to review or challenge this evidence in court. This lack of transparency is a violation of due process and mirrors the problematic federal terrorism watchlists, which have been criticized for their arbitrary and opaque nature.
• Existing Legal Framework: Laws already exist to address the financing of terrorism, including the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), both of which prohibit designated entities from claiming tax-exempt status. Additional legislation is unnecessary and increases the risk of abuse and legal challenges.

Should H.R. 9495 be adopted by the House, CAIR will continue to urge all concerned Americans to take action and urge their U.S. Senators to oppose the advancement of this act, and its dangerous goals.

CAIR remains committed to challenging this legislation in all its iterations and forms, and will continue to advocate for the protection of nonprofit organizations’ rights to free speech, due process, and equal treatment under the law.

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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw, 202-716-6242, rmccaw@cair.com