A day after the House passed legislation aimed at promoting free speech, the bill’s co-author, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) issued a statement, praising Congress for doing so:
“Free speech is a bedrock principle of our Republic, essential to our continued liberty. The passage of the SPEECH Act further cements that legacy and strengthens free speech protections for all Americans. It will ensure that American writers cannot be penalized by foreign libel judgments that do not comply with American law, removing a dangerous chilling effect on the exercise of First Amendment rights. It will also give Americans who have been subject to foreign libel judgments the opportunity to petition an American court and have their name cleared. This is an important bipartisan achievement and a reminder that Congress’ job is not to control and diminish free speech—including political advocacy—but to allow for the robust competition of ideas.”
The bill, entitled the “Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act” is now headed to President Obama for his signature.
-Alexa Gitler