Albany, NY – In response to the passage of H.R. 9495 (the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act) – legislation that would grant the Trump administration unprecedented authority to target and shut down nonprofit organizations they accuse, without evidence, of supporting terrorism – Rosemary Rivera, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, issued the following statement:
“The attacks have already begun—but we will not be silenced, intimated, or stopped. This bill is a blatant attempt to punish those who dare to speak truth to power, and is nothing more than a weapon designed to silence anyone who dares to call out the evils of a corrupt system. The incoming Trump Administration is sending a clear message: they will do whatever it takes to hold onto power and strip away our rights.
“But let us be clear: we will not back down. We are sending our own message that we will not bow to fear, and we will not let this attack go unanswered. This is a fight for our survival, and we are ready to meet it head-on. Despite every effort to intimidate and suppress, we will keep up the fight we’ve been championing for over 40 years.
“We want to thank our allies, donors, members, and volunteers who stepped up and made calls. These relentless efforts flipped the script—shifting 52 Democrats in favor to just 15. This is a powerful reminder: organizing works. We’ll keep organizing, keep fighting, and keep building the power we need to protect our people and secure our future.”