Who did Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Ed Case represent when he voted — twice in two weeks — in favor of H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act? It is already against the law for nonprofit organizations to aid terrorism, so a new law wasn’t necessary.

But this U.S. House bill proposes to give one man — the secretary of the Treasury — the sole power to accuse any nonprofit organization of supporting terrorism, without proof, and to divest it of nonprofit status without due process. Since the president-elect vowed on the campaign trail to fight “the enemy within” (his opponents), it isn’t hard to imagine how his administration could abuse this expansion of executive power to silence dissent from any group that displeases him.

Targeting nonprofits would impact everyone in Hawaii, regardless of whom they voted for. The contributions of nonprofit organizations, both secular and religious, are so vital to our social and cultural fabric and the daily quality of life in Hawaii, providing aid, services and sponsoring community activities and events way beyond what state or county funds and agencies could manage.

Nonprofits will likely become even more essential to us if the incoming administration follows through on its vow to reward states that supported the president-elect and withhold funds and services from those who object to or don’t go along with his policies.

When H.R. 9495 first came up for vote in the House on Nov. 14, it was under a special rule designed to allow quick passage of noncontroversial bills and required a three-quarters vote. It didn’t pass, but 55 of the 213 Democratic representatives in the House, including Ed Case, voted for it. The House leadership then quickly scheduled the bill for another regular vote on Nov. 21,which would require only a simply majority to pass.

Alarm bells instantly went off across the country, warning against effects of the “Kill Non-Profits Bill,” and in the second vote, 40 of the 55 Democratic representatives, switched their votes to no. That left 15 Democrats voting in favor, including Case, and it passed. Almost all of the other Democratic yes-voters were from districts or states that had just voted Republican, so they may have had feared being voted out in the 2026 midterm elections. But Rep. Case?

H.R. 9495 is unlikely to become law. It would first have to pass the U.S. Senate, then survive a presidential veto and/or multiple constitutional challenges in the courts.

But this attempt to expand the president’s power before he is even sworn in should be a wake-up call. Authoritarian inroads are far easier to resist at first breath than to reverse once they get a pass. We had a rare chance to say a clear “no way!” here, and we did not. “Wait and see” is a luxury we can’t afford.

More than ever, we need our representatives to see ahead, to be proactive and prepared to protect our civil liberties, our well-being, and our way of living vigorously at every opportunity. They might also assure fear-driven colleagues that the state they represent offers over 60 years of proof that diversity is not a threat to democracy and that immigrants don’t destroy society.

Sue Cowing is a retired U.S. history teacher and long-term resident of Honolulu.