The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the withdrawal of Section 226 of H.R. 5300, a dangerous provision that would have granted Secretary of State Marco Rubio sweeping, unchecked authority to revoke U.S. passports. Rep. Brian Mast backed out,retreating from this harmful measure, showing that even the most dangerous attacks on Americans’ rights can be stopped when communities organize and speak out.
SEE: GOP lawmaker pulls measure to allow Marco Rubio to revoke US passports
CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw, who sent a formal letter to the House Foreign Affairs Committee opposing Section 226, said:
“Section 226 was a direct attack on Americans’ constitutional rights, threatening to strip citizens of their freedom to travel and to speak freely about human rights issues abroad. Today, we welcome the withdrawal of this provision. It shows that organized advocacy, public pressure, and principled lawmakers can hold the government accountable and prevent abuses of power. We remain vigilant, and we will continue to fight any legislation that undermines Americans’ freedoms.”
This decision represents another major win for Americans’ constitutional rights, following a series of successful pushbacks against “Israel first” bills that threatened free speech and accountability :
- Defeat of the ICC Sanction Bill in the Senate
The bill(H.R.23) would have imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, undermining accountability for human rights violations and threatening U.S. engagement with international justice mechanisms.
- Defeat of the NGO Killer Bill in the HouseThe Nonprofit Killer Bill, initially included as Section 112209 of the House Ways and Means Committee’s approved portion of the reconciliation package, was excluded from the 1,100-page legislative text narrowly advanced by House Republicans late under the budget reconciliation process.
- Defeat of the Antisemitism Awareness Act in the Senate HELP Committee after objections from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul
The measure threatened free speech on college campuses by attempting to define and police alleged “antisemitism,” risking suppression of legitimate criticism of Israeli government actions.
- Defeat of the IGO Boycott Bill (latest iteration of the Israel Anti-Boycott Act) in the House, after massive public outcry
The bill sought to criminalize support for boycotts of Israel, targeting individuals and organizations advocating for Palestinian human rights and silencing political dissent.
- Defeat of the Passport Revocation Bill (Section 226 of H.R. 5300), preventing unchecked revocation of U.S. passports
The provision would have allowed the Secretary of State to revoke passports based solely on vague “material support” allegations, putting journalists, scholars, and human rights advocates at risk of politically motivated actions.
CAIR will continue to monitor legislation that threatens constitutional rights and work with lawmakers, allies, and community members to ensure Americans’ freedoms are defended.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@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