Threats Facing Conservative Speech

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, censorship in America is a major problem. Congress cannot continue to deputize Big Tech to censor competition and lawful political speech.

Reforming section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is critical. That is why I have sponsored Stop the Censorship Act: to empower users with their editorial control, not government or Big Tech.

Making it worse, Big Government has colluded with Big Tech to censor American citizens and to influence elections, which is a clear and illegal violation of the Hatch Act and First Amendment. Now, we have AT&T's DIRECTV deplatforming Newsmax. It is all unacceptable.

Corrupt corporations and bureaucrats must be held accountable. We will utilize the Holman rule and all tools at our disposal in Congress.

Looking back even 10 years, it was difficult to predict the totalitarian instincts that Big Tech and fake news media now promote.

Our country was literally founded on free speech and other civil liberties. Today, the fragile Big Tech hipsters are afraid of ideas. They are afraid of open discussion. They cannot fathom how to issue a counterpoint to anyone or an idea they don't like.

Censorship is un-American. It is uncivil. It is a recipe for discontent and authoritarianism. An enforced contract between the subscriber and user protects free speech.

I thank the Congressman from Colorado for hosting this Special Order on this important issue, and I look forward to our investigations and to our reforms.

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