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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about a regime of censorship that is increasing by the day. It is the story of Donald Trump's relentless attacks on CBS and its flagship news program, ``60 Minutes.''

It is the story of how the Federal Communications Commission, an Agency with a storied history of protecting free speech--how it has been weaponized to pressure journalists to soften their coverage of President Trump.

It is a story of a campaign to turn our free press into a State-run media echo chamber, and make no mistake, it is a story that should alarm every single American, Democrat, and Republican alike.

Since leaving office and even before, Donald Trump has waged a nonstop war on the free press. He has called journalists the ``enemy of the people.'' He has used his platform, Truth Social, to attack reporters, to smear respected news organizations, and to incite harassment and threats against those who dare to report the truth.

But recently, we have witnessed something even more dangerous, the merging of Trump's personal vendettas with the official powers of the government.

So let's start with the facts. Trump and his allies' hatred for CBS and ``60 Minutes'' is no secret.

Trump has repeatedly attacked ``60 Minutes'' on his Truth Social account. Just 2 weeks ago, for example, he said that CBS should lose its license over its reporting--even though CBS, as a network, doesn't have a license.

He then told FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to ``impose the maximum fines and punishment on CBS.'' Earlier in February, Trump called for ``60 Minutes'' to be ``terminated.''

Around the same time, Elon Musk got in on the action. Just a few days before Vice President Vance traveled to Germany to accuse Europe of censoring conservatives, Musk called ``60 Minutes'' the ``biggest liars in the world'' and said its journalists ``deserve a long prison sentence.''

So let me repeat that. The richest man in the world, with limitless authority over the Federal Government, said that ``60 Minutes'' journalists ``deserve a long prison sentence'' over their editorial decision making. That is a terrifying statement. These comments aren't idle threats. They create an environment of intimidation and fear. They send a signal: Criticize us, and you will face not just public smears but potential legal jeopardy.

The goal is clear. Trump and his allies want to turn the hard- hitting, fact-intensive journalism at ``60 Minutes'' into ``FOX and Friends,'' and at the same time, as Trump and his allies have unleashed a torrent of attacks against ``60 Minutes,'' CBS's parent company, Paramount, has been seeking regulatory approval from the FCC for an $8 billion merger.

Although this deal has serious implications for the entertainment industry, Trump and his right-wing allies instead viewed it as a point of leverage against the news media.

For months, the Trump FCC has made clear that favorable merger treatment will come at a cost: favorable coverage or, more precisely, less critical coverage of Donald Trump.

Most notably, Chairman Carr has made clear that a frivolous, politically motivated complaint against CBS over its editorial decision-making would be a consideration in the Paramount merger review.

In fact, just yesterday, Chairman Carr said, cryptically, that ``all options are on the table'' in its investigation into that frivolous complaint.

It is not hard to read between the lines. CBS's news reporting--and its reporting on Donald Trump--would impact the FCC review of the Paramount merger.

It is a message intended to reverberate far beyond CBS and far beyond ``60 Minutes.'' The FCC has become the ``Federal Censorship Commission,'' and ``Federal Censorship Commission'' Chairman Carr is ready, eager, and willing to carry out Trump's crusade against the news media.

This is not regulatory oversight. This is regulatory blackmail, and it places Paramount and CBS in a difficult spot: Succumb to Trump's wishes and compromise CBS's journalism or stand strong and face the wrath of the ``Federal Censorship Commission.''

This position is already leading to upheaval within the companies. Last week, executive producer Bill Owens, who had worked at ``60 Minutes'' for over two decades, resigned, citing concerns about his ability to make independent decisions.

On Sunday night, just 2 nights ago, in a closing 1-minute statement, ``60 Minutes'' journalist Scott Pelley reported on Owens' resignation and called out Paramount directly. The full story inside Paramount, CBS, and ``60 Minutes'' remains unclear, and Pelley made clear that Paramount has not killed any ``60 Minutes'' stories.

But it is difficult to ignore the timing. This is how modern censorship creeps into newsrooms. It doesn't require book burning or secret raids. It requires weaponizing existing government authority to pressure the multinational corporations with diverse financial interests that run storied programs like ``60 Minutes.''

This is a five-alarm fire for democracy. The free press is not just another stakeholder in our public discourse; it is the check on power. And when government officials use their power to intimidate the press, to manipulate newsrooms, and silence dissent, they are not just committing an ethical breach; they are committing an assault upon the First Amendment.

So let me be absolutely clear: The FCC should never condition a merger on favorable news coverage. History teaches us that censorship rarely begins with overt tyranny. It begins with small concessions, subtle pressures, and self-censorship born of fear. But it always ends the same way: with a citizenry less informed, a democracy less vibrant, and a government less accountable.

We cannot allow that to happen in the United States of America. We must remember that freedom of the press is not a partisan issue; it is an American issue. And we must have--and always have to have--the courage to stand up, to speak out, and to say: In this country, no President will dictate the truth.

That is the promise of the First Amendment. That is the promise of our democracy. And that is the promise that we must keep.

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