Bowling Green Today

On July 31, 2024, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), along with Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC-08), introduced the Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act. This legislation aims to prohibit federal employees and contractors from using their positions to direct online platforms to censor speech protected by the First Amendment.

"Americans are a free people, and we do not take infringements upon our liberties lightly," said Dr. Paul. "With the Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act, we will strip away the barriers preventing judicial review of coercive government tactics that silence dissenting voices."

Rep. Hageman emphasized that the government cannot indirectly suppress free speech through proxies like social media companies. "The Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act will not only ensure future litigants would have standing but also apply to the plaintiffs in Murthy," she stated.

Rep. Bishop added, "Malicious actors within government should never be allowed to silence and censor Americans."

The bill proposes several measures:

- Empower individuals to sue government officials who coerce online platforms into censoring constitutionally protected speech.

- Apply to past First Amendment violations and establish a presumption of liability for any government official attempting censorship.

- Provide a mechanism for all Americans to protect their constitutional rights and challenge government overreach.

Additional support for the bill came from various organizations:

Bradley A. Smith of the Institute for Free Speech noted that Murthy invites indirect violations of First Amendment rights by closing courthouse doors on victims of censorship campaigns.

Ryan Walker from Heritage Action praised Sen. Paul for fighting against government overreach and censorship on Big Tech platforms.

L. Brent Bozell III from Media Research Center called it a no-brainer legislation defending Constitutional free speech rights.

George Landrith from Frontiers of Freedom Institute emphasized its importance in preventing courts from dismissing cases on standing grounds.

Richard Manning from Americans for Limited Government highlighted its potential as a vehicle for protecting free speech rights broadly.

Vance Ginn commended Sen. Paul's efforts in preserving freedoms often targeted by federal entities.

Yael Ossowski from Consumer Choice Center supported the act as a means to end unconstitutional jawboning by public officials.

Phil Kerpen from American Commitment urged Congress to pass it quickly so citizens can defend their First Amendment rights appropriately.

Carl Szabo from NetChoice applauded Sen. Paul's step towards defending online free speech against governmental abuse of power.

Jim Hanson from America Matters remarked that Sen. Paul's action ensures citizens have standing to sue when pressured into censorship by officials.

Background information revealed that Dr. Paul himself was affected by censorship during the pandemic when YouTube took down his video about cloth masks' ineffectiveness, leading him to switch his content platform to Rumble.com.