Threats Facing Conservative Speech

Floor Speech

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Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I have not literally lit this place on fire.

At midnight Tuesday, January 24, 2023, ``Newsmax'' was removed from DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and U-verse, denying 13 million customers this highly rated news channel.

This is not the first time that we have seen this, and I am afraid that it won't be the last time that we are seeing this here in our great country. OAN was deplatformed by DIRECTV in April of 2022.

So what is next? FOX News? Will The Weather Channel be canceled next if they refuse to bow to the left's altar of climate change? What about The History Channel? We see on a regular basis the left wants to erase history and deny truth. How about TBN? There has definitely been an increase in disdain and intolerance by many liberals for Christian beliefs, simply by saying we love Jesus. So is TBN next?

Americans are tired of cancel culture. Conservatives are not being treated fairly. We are the ones who are censored by Big Tech. We are the ones targeted and called domestic terrorists when moms and dads show up at school board meetings.

We are the ones targeted by the IRS because our organizations have the word ``patriot'' in their name.

Mr. Speaker, if you are a conservative pastor, the government persecutes you. If you are a liberal pastor, Joe Biden shows up to your church, whether he realizes he is there or not.

Yet, now we are faced with Newsmax, a conservative news organization followed and watched, again, by millions of Americans, and it has been removed from DIRECTV. Newsmax is the fourth most watched news channel, but they have been removed for hyperpolitical reasons.

What can be done? I have been asked time and time again: What do we do to rein in the censorship and the oppression of conservatives because free and open speech is worth fighting for?

The First Amendment in our Constitution defends our freedom of speech. That is something that we will continue to pursue, to preserve, and to never let the left take away from us entirely. So, here is where we will start.

AT&T: As long as you continue to censor conservatives and attack the press, I will make it my personal mission to strip the wasteful, ridiculous Federal subsidies you receive.

To AT&T, DIRECTV, and all the woke corporations: This isn't a threat. It is absolutely a promise. If you continue to stifle free speech in this great country and muzzle the press corps, Congress will have no choice but to hold you accountable. I promise you that my colleagues and I are happy to take you on to preserve free speech for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Buck for organizing this tonight. I thank the gentleman for being a defender of free speech from the censorship that is going on. I thank the gentleman for fighting against that.

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