FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 15, 2023
Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

Dr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Government Censorship

Democrats and Republicans oppose efforts to protect free speech with a final vote of 2-13

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) forced a vote during a committee business meeting regarding his amendment to protect free speech and prevent further government censorship on social media and other online outlets. 

“Recent unsettling disclosures, including those within the Twitter files, illustrate how the federal government has leveraged taxpayer-funded resources to collude with social media companies and censor disfavored speech on topics from COVID-19 to U.S. elections…The freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment is one of the bedrock principles of our founding, and Congress must defend this right against government censorship,” said Dr. Paul. “It is against this backdrop that I call up my amendment which would prohibit federal employees from using their official position to censor speech on social media and other outlets.”

Dr. Paul’s amendment was offered to S. 61, the Combating Cartels on Social Media Act. 

At the same time as protecting the First Amendment freedoms of American citizens, Dr. Paul’s amendment would have also preserved the First Amendment rights of the platforms. Instead, it would have prohibited government agencies from requesting, suggesting, or directing platforms to remove protected speech.

You can read Dr. Paul’s amendment HERE and find his full remarks on this amendment HERE.

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