Press Releases

Johnson, Chairman Jordan, Senator Paul Fight to Protect Americans’ First Amendment Rights Against Government Censorship

Washington, July 21, 2023

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Free Speech Protection Act, which will prohibit executive branch employees and contractors from using their positions to censor and otherwise attack speech protected by the First Amendment. The bill will also impose mandatory severe penalties for those executive branch employees who censor speech.

"The dystopian scheme by the government, Big Tech, academia, and many NGOs to censor American citizens and silence conservative voices is far-reaching and dangerous," said Rep. Mike Johnson. “Our legislation imposes penalties for suppressing free speech and it has become necessary and urgent for us to do so."

“Censorship is a major threat to freedom today. It is clear that Big Government must be more transparent, and that bureaucrats must be held accountable for censorship. The Free Speech Protection Act accomplishes that and gives individuals remedies for censorship to protect vital First Amendment freedoms,” said Chairman Jim Jordan.

“Americans are free people and we do not take infringements upon our liberties lightly. The time has come for resistance and to reclaim our God-given right to free expression,” said Senator Paul. “Under my Free Speech Protection Act the government will no longer be able to cloak itself in secrecy to undermine the First Amendment rights of Americans.”

As part of protecting Americans’ First Amendment rights, the bill would also:

  • Mandate frequent publicly accessible reports from the heads of executive branch agencies detailing the communications between an executive branch agency and Big Tech.
  • Ensure that federal grant money is not misused to label media organizations as sources of misinformation or disinformation.
  • Terminate several programs and authorities that threaten free speech and other constitutionally protected rights.

The Free Speech Protection Act is originally cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Barry Moore (R-AL), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Greg Steube (R-FL), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Ken Buck (R-CO), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Ben Cline (R-VA), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

You can read the bill here.