The federal collusion with infamous Internet traffic cops — NewsGuard and Global Disinformation Index — is likely on the chopping block.
The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a provision that bars the Department of Defense from contracting with radical leftist entities that discriminate against right-leaning media, and is one inch closer to becoming law after both the Senate and House passed the legislation on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, respectively. Now awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature, the bill would mark the first victory against government-tied censorship and the blacklisting of media critical of the federal government and the far left.
First introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) and later endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), the NDAA provision requires the Pentagon to ensure that the entities it uses for the placement of recruiting ads certify that they do “not place advertisements in news sources based on personal or institutional political preferences or biases, or determinations of misinformation.” The NDAA also orders the Pentagon to notify Congress if it enters a contract with NewsGuard and GDI.
While the initial version of the provision explicitly barred the Pentagon from contracting with NewsGuard and GDI, Republicans had to settle for a narrowed version of the provision due to Senate Democrat pushback.
Despite the change, the amendment marks a free speech victory, MRC Free Speech America Vice President Dan Schneider said. “Speaker Johnson led the charge on securing this victory to protect our First Amendment rights,” Schneider declared. “He, Rep. McCormick and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) deserve all the credit, but this is still just a first step. We’ve got to figure out how to terminate the Biden censorship regime before it’s too late.”
The provision came after MRC Free Speech America exposed NewsGuard — for the third year in a row — for its pro-leftist media ratings, all while strangling right-leaning media entities critical of the left’s agenda. The revealing study found that NewsGuard anointed leftist media with a favorable average “credibility” score of 91 (out of 100). In contrast, NewsGuard slapped right-leaning media with a scant average of 65 (out of 100).
The NDAA passed the Senate and the House by 87-13 and 310-118 vote tallies, respectively. Biden hasn’t signaled if he will sign the NDAA into law.
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