This Senate resolution reaffirms the Senate's commitment to the First Amendment and to freedom of speech and of the press. It cites Supreme Court decisions (Texas v. Johnson and National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo) and a provision of the Communications Act that the bill says limit government censorship. The resolution calls on the President to commit to free speech; declares that media independence must be protected; condemns threats to revoke, suspend, or penalize media licenses solely for content or viewpoint; calls on the FCC chairman and other agency heads to uphold constitutionally protected speech and not use licensing or regulation as a tool of repression; and rebukes political violence against people exercising free speech rights.
If the Senate adopts this resolution, it would officially state the Senate's support for free speech and press protections and urge executive-branch officials to act accordingly. The text asks agencies not to use licensing or regulation to punish media for editorial content and condemns threats or political violence. The resolution itself does not specify new penalties, create new regulations, or change statutory law in the text provided.
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The resolution's sponsors and text present defending free speech and media independence as central goals. It quotes court decisions and statements from the FCC chair and others to support the idea that government should not be able to coerce or punish protected speech, and it calls for protection of editorial independence and for agency leaders to affirm they will not use licensing or regulation to intimidate media.
No publicly available information.