,i #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hgeb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,august #cj1 #bjbb,mr4 ,comer 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,rodgers of ,washington1 and ,mr4 ,jordan7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 to prohibit ,federal employees from advocating for censorship of viewpoints in their official capacity1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,protecting ,speech from ,government ,interference ,act4 #b4 ,prohibition on ,federal employee censorship 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #gc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,,viii ,prohibition on ,federal employee censorship #gcha4 ,policy regarding ,federal employee censorship ,it is the policy of the ,congress that employees acting in their official capacity should neither take action within their authority or influence to promote the censorship of any speech1 nor advocate that a third party1 including a private entity1 censor such speech4 #gchb4 ,prohibition on ,federal employee censorship 7a7 ,in general ,an employee may not-- 7#a7 use the employee's official authority or influence to advocate that any third party1 including a private entity1 take any action to censor any speech2 7#b7 knowingly censor or discourage the exercise of speech of any person who-- 7,a7 has an application for any compensation1 grant1 contract1 ruling1 license1 permit1 or certificate pending before the employing office of such employee2 or 7,b7 is the subject of or a participant in an ongoing audit1 investigation1 or enforcement action being carried out by the employing office of such employee2 or 7#c7 engage in censorship-- 7,a7 while the employee is on duty2 7,b7 in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the ,government of the ,united ,states or any agency or instrumentality thereof2 7,c7 while wearing a uniform or official insignia identifying the office or position of the employee2 or 7,d7 using any vehicle owned or leased by the ,government of the ,united ,states or any agency or instrumentality thereof4 7b7 ,further restricted employees 7#a7 ,in general ,an employee described in paragraph 7#b7 may not knowingly censor or discourage the exercise of speech of a person at any time1 including outside normal duty hours and while such employee is away from their normal duty post4 7#b7 ,further restricted employee described ,the provisions of paragraph 7#a7 shall apply to any employee-- 7,a7 whose duties and responsibilities of the employee's position continue outside normal duty hours and while away from the normal duty post2 and 7,b7 who is-- 7i7 an employee paid from an appropriation for the ,executive ,office of the ,president2 or 7ii7 an employee appointed by the ,president1 by and with the advice and consent of the ,senate1 whose position is located within the ,united ,states1 who determines policies to be pursued by the ,united ,states in relations with foreign powers or in the nationwide administration of ,federal laws4 7c7 ,exceptions ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to prohibit an employee from engaging in lawful actions within the official authority of such employee for the purpose of safeguarding1 or preventing the unlawful dissemination of properly classified national security information4 7d7 ,penalties ,an employee who violates this section shall be subject to any of the penalties described in section #gcbf4 7e7 ,enforcement ,this section shall be enforced in the same manner as subchapter ,,iii of this chapter4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this subchapter-- 7#a7 the term censor or censorship means ordering or advocating for-- 7,a7 the removal or suppression of lawful speech1 in whole or in part1 from or on any platform 7including an interactive computer service72 7,b7 the addition of any disclaimer1 information1 or other alert to such speech being expressed on any platform 7including an interactive computer service72 or 7,c7 the removal or restriction of access of any person on any platform 7including an interactive computer service7 generally available to the public1 unless such person is engaged in criminal activities2 7#b7 the term employee has the meaning given that term in section #gcbb2 and 7#c7 the term interactive computer service has the meaning given that term in section #bcj7;f7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bcj7;f774 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for chapter #gc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,subchapter ,,viii--,prohibition on ,federal employee censorship #gcha4 ,policy regarding ,federal employee censorship4 #gchb4 ,prohibition on ,federal employee censorship4 4 7c7 ,severability ,if any provision of this ,act or any amendment made by this ,act1 or the application of a provision of this ,act or an amendment made by this ,act to any person or circumstance1 is held to be unconstitutional1 the remainder of this ,act1 and the application of the provisions to any person or circumstance1 shall not be affected by the holding4