Threats Facing Conservative Speech

Floor Speech

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Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues, but unfortunately, this isn't a bipartisan group.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep concern about the state of free and diverse speech in American public life.

DIRECTV, as part of the extreme negotiation tactic, deplatformed Newsmax and silenced their unique perspective for over 13 million DIRECTV subscribers.

This negotiation tactic is a clear example of political bias against conservative news outlets like Newsmax, and it is having a chilling effect on free speech and freedom of the press.

Media outlets enjoy certain privileges as members of the fourth estate. Limiting free speech based on political views is against the spirit of the First Amendment and contrary to a country that celebrates and encourages the marketplace of ideas.

As a former newspaper owner and publisher, I know what it means to represent all viewpoints in the media and to revere that marketplace of ideas. DIRECTV has a responsibility to reassure its customers and the American people that it is not silencing Newsmax for political reasons.

I ask, and all of us are asking, that DIRECTV immediately come to the negotiation table with Newsmax and end this disruption of access rooted in political bias.

Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, my colleagues and everyone standing up for this. I just hope that everyone on both sides of the aisle, with all viewpoints, would stand up and fight on behalf of all of us who are now not getting a robust debate as promised by the spirit of our Founders.

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