House Republicans introduced legislation to allow censored Americans to sue federal officials suppressing free speech.
Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the Censorship Accountability Act, according to a July 26 press release. The new legislation would allow American citizens to sue federal officials if the latter attacks the citizens’ First Amendment rights. Bishop’s office celebrated the legislation as “bring[ing] accountability for the government’s Censorship Industrial Complex,” including “censoring views on social media.”
The Republican lawmakers noted an existing law that allows lawsuits against state employees who violate constitutional rights. The new House legislation aims to hold federal employees similarly accountable.
“Chairman Bishop is responding to a radicalized federal workforce that believes it can use the power of the federal government to silence political views they don't like,” said Vice President of MRC Free Speech America Dan Schneider. “These authoritarian bureaucrats have been put on notice: their behavior will no longer be tolerated. Bureaucrats are paid by us to serve American interests, not to rule us. We are taking back our rights and our government.”
“Current law allows government agents to censor and suppress free speech with little recourse for those being silenced,” said Bishop. “My bill will change that by finally allowing Americans to sue federal employees who violate their First Amendment rights. The Censorship Industrial Complex should no longer be allowed to operate with impunity, and those who seek to destroy the freedom of speech should have to answer for it in a court of law.”
Rep. Hageman echoed Bishop’s remarks on the bill’s importance. “Our First Amendments rights are the foundation for all of our other individual rights as protected by the Constitution,” Hageman said. “Yet censorship, suppression and deplatforming of free speech has been at the core of Biden Administration policy.” She further added, “By providing for the right to file suit against federal employees who violate the First Amendment, this legislation will ensure that individuals within the executive branch are no longer able to censor with impunity.”
The legislation’s original co-sponsors include GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ), Matt Gaetz (FL), Jim Jordan (OH), Lance Gooden (TX), Jeff Van Drew (NJ), Mike Johnson (LA), Greg Steube (FL), and Troy Nehls (TX).
At a hearing the same day as the legislation was announced, Hageman slammed the Biden administration’s Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention. MRC Free Speech America exposed the outrageous taxpayer-funded program for its targeting of Christians, conservatives and Republicans by associating them with neo-Nazis.
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech and government agencies be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on so-called “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
