U.S. News
Republicans Eye New Tools Against Foreign Censorship
Clear Facts
- Republican lawmakers are considering legislation to let American citizens sue foreign entities that censor their First Amendment rights.
- House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan confirmed Congress is reviewing measures inspired by Wyoming’s GRANITE Act.
- The legislation aims to stop state cooperation with foreign organizations that enforce censorship against Americans.
Republican legislators are exploring a bill that would allow Americans to take legal action against foreign powers and international bodies that infringe upon free speech rights.
The proposal is similar to Wyoming’s GRANITE Act, which gives Americans a legal remedy when their speech is suppressed by foreign laws.
“We are definitely looking at that,” Jim Jordan said in response to whether Congress would consider such proposals.
He stated, “We’re taking a good look at that and seeing if there’s something we can do” regarding the GRANITE Act.
If passed, the bill would prevent U.S. states from collaborating with groups supporting foreign censorship.
State Department officials, including Sarah Rogers and Rep. Darrell Issa, have also called for protecting Americans from being prosecuted under foreign speech restrictions.
Recently, the House Judiciary Committee revealed documents indicating some tech firms limited Americans’ speech under pressure from Europe’s Digital Services Act.
The European Commission can fine tech companies up to 6% of global revenue if they don’t meet certain content moderation demands, impacting American users as well.
The House Judiciary Committee found that the European Union urged tech platforms to moderate topics such as mass migration and men participating in women’s sports due to transgender identity.
American online speech censorship has also occurred with involvement from the U.S. State Department.
In February 2024, The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against the State Department’s Global Engagement Center for working with groups that allegedly suppress conservative media.
The lawsuit claims the Center’s coordination with entities like NewsGuard and the Global Disinformation Index targets American conservative speech and violates the First Amendment.
Lawmakers continue to examine ways to defend American values and prevent international censorship from threatening the nation’s founding principles.
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