The GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that prohibits federal bureaucrats from using their influence to censor speech or pressure social media companies to censor speech.
The Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act passed on a 219-206 vote. It broke along party lines according to The Hill and is seen as unlikely to advance in the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate.
Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers introduced the legislation with fellow Republicans James Comer (Kentucky) and Jim Jordan (Ohio).
“President Joe Biden and his administration have become the party of censorship,” charged McMorris Rodgers in a news release. “They’re actively silencing American voices in order to control the narrative to benefit their political agenda—we have the receipts.”
“House Energy and Commerce Republicans have condemned these censorship efforts again and again” said the congresswoman, who chairs that committee, “and I’m pleased to join Representatives Comer and Jordan in passing this legislation to protect Americans’ first amendment rights from federal employees seeking to abuse their power and control the battle of ideas. We will not allow this administration to be the arbiters of truth online.”
