DATE: December 2, 2024
TO: All League Members
FROM: Lisa Bentson, President, LWVOR
Jean Pierce, Chair, Action Committee
Norman Turrill, Coordinator, Governance Portfolio
Becky Gladstone, Governance Advocate
Contact Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Ron Wyden and urge them to OPPOSE HR 9495 which would grant the Treasury Secretary the authority to suspend the tax-exempt status of organizations deemed “terrorist supporting” without providing meaningful due process.
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels.
The League further believes that governmental bodies must protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible.
We are requesting that local League members throughout Oregon ask our US Senators to oppose this critical legislation which:
Threatens the freedom to dissent without fear of government retribution
Would grant the executive branch new powers to investigate and functionally shut down and silence its critics
Would harm all Americans' free speech and due process rights by creating new executive authorities that could be abused by any presidential administration seeking to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations arbitrarily
