Dems Backed by AIPAC Join Republicans To Push Free Speech-Crushing H.R. 9495

The bill, H.R. 9495, which failed to secure the two-thirds majority required for passage in the House last week, is back for another vote today, this time needing only a simple majority to pass. Alarmingly, its chances look good, given that 52 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting it last week.

If enacted, H.R. 9495 would grant the Treasury Secretary unprecedented authority to unilaterally designate a nonprofit as a terrorist organization and strip it of tax-exempt status. This power is dangerously broad and ripe for abuse. Originally framed as the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act,” the bill emerged in the wake of last summer’s uproar over pro-Palestinian campus protests. It’s likely backed by influential lobbying groups like the conservative AIPAC, who seem to have viewed this extreme measure as a way to suppress dissent.

But the implications of this bill extend far beyond its initial target. Under this legislation, a Treasury Secretary— regardless of whether appointed by a Democrat or Republican — could easily use this authority to silence pro-Palestinian advocacy groups. Worse, it could enable attacks on mosques, further marginalizing Muslim communities under the guise of national security.

And it doesn’t stop there. The sweeping definition of “nonprofit” includes news outlets, universities, and civil society organizations. This means an incoming administration, armed with this tool, could retaliate against public universities allowing student protests, target Planned Parenthood or the ACLU for political reasons, and undermine investigative journalism from outlets like ProPublica. The bill paves the way for a president’s Treasury Secretary to wield unchecked power, stifling any dissent that threatens their political agenda.

H.R. 9495 is rightly being called a “nonprofit killer.” It endangers free speech and civil liberties by giving the government a weapon to suppress nonprofits for ideological or political reasons. This overreach stems from a moment of Congressional panic over students exercising their constitutional right to protest. We cannot let fear-driven legislation dismantle the foundations of free expression in this country.

If there’s any time to call your Congressperson, this is it. That’s especially true if that Congressperson is one of those 155 Democrats considering giving unchecked power to suppress dissent to the incoming Treasury Secretary.