,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #b #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #adj ,report ,no4 #aah-e ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #i1 #bjbc,mr4 ,comer 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,jordan1 and ,mrs4 ,rodgers of ,washington7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,accountability ,march #b1 #bjbc;,additional sponsors3 ,mr4 ,grothman1 ,mr4 ,biggs1 ,mr4 ,langworthy1 ,ms4 ,mace1 ,mrs4 ,luna1 ,mr4 ,burchett1 ,mr4 ,higgins of ,louisiana1 ,mr4 ,sessions1 ,mr4 ,edwards1 ,mr4 ,la,turner1 ,mr4 ,gosar1 ,mr4 ,fry1 ,mrs4 ,mc,clain1 and ,ms4 ,greene of ,georgia ,march #b1 #bjbc,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic,for text of introduced bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on ,january #i1 #bjbc ,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 lawful 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 to censor any private entity1 including outside of normal duty hours and while such employee is away from the employee's normal duty post2 or 7#b7 engage in censorship of a private entity-- 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 7,d7 while using any vehicle owned or leased by the ,government of the ,united ,states or any agency or instrumentality thereof2 or 7,e7 while using any information system or information technology 7as defined under section #aaaja of title #dj74 7b7 ,exceptions for law enforcement functions and reporting requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an employee from engaging in lawful actions within the official authority of such employee for the purpose of exercising legitimate law enforcement functions1 including activities to-- 7,a7 combat child pornography and exploitation1 human trafficking1 or the illegal transporting of or transacting in controlled substances2 and 7,b7 safeguarding1 or preventing1 the unlawful dissemination of properly classified national security information4 7#b7 ,reporting 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #gb hours before an employee exercises a legitimate law enforcement function to take any action to censor any lawful speech 7in this paragraph referred to as a censorship action71 but not including any such action relating to activities described under subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 of paragraph 7#a71 the head of the agency that employs the employee shall submit1 to the ,office of ,special ,counsel and the chair and ranking member of the committees of ,congress described under subparagraph 7,b71 a report that includes-- 7i7 an overview of the action1 or actions1 to be taken1 including a summary of the action being taken and the rationale for why a censorship action is necessary2 7ii7 the name of the entity which the action is being requested of2 7iii7 the person and entity targeted by the censorship action1 including the associated name or number of any account used or maintained by the entity and a description of the specific speech content targeted2 7iv7 the agency's legal authority for exercising the law enforcement function2 7v7 the agency employee or employees involved in the censorship action1 including their position and any direct supervisor2 7vi7 a list of other agencies that have been involved1 consulted1 or communicated with in coordination with the censorship action2 and 7vii7 a classified annex1 if the agency head deems it appropriate4 7,b7 ,committees ,the committees of ,congress described under this subparagraph are the following3 7i7 ,the ,committee on ,oversight and ,accountability1 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7ii7 ,the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs1 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate4 7,c7 ,clarification of ,office of ,special ,counsel reporting requirements ,the reporting requirements in this paragraph do not apply to the ,office of ,special ,counsel's advisory and enforcement functions under subchapter ,,ii of chapter #ab4 7c7 ,penalties 7#a7 ,in general ,an employee who violates this section shall be subject to-- 7,a7 disciplinary action consisting of removal1 reduction in grade1 debarment from ,federal employment for a period not to exceed #e years1 suspension1 or reprimand2 7,b7 an assessment of a civil penalty not to exceed #a1jjj2 or 7,c7 any combination of the penalties described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b74 7#b7 ,application to senior ,government officials ,paragraph 7#a77;,b7 shall be applied by substituting #aj1jjj for #a1jjj for any employee who is-- 7,a7 paid from an appropriation for the ,white ,house ,office2 or 7,b7 appointed by the ,president1 by and with the advice and consent of the ,senate2 7d7 ,enforcement ,this section shall be enforced in the same manner as subchapter ,,iii of this chapter4 7e7 ,definitions ,in this subchapter-- 7#a7 the term censor or censorship means influencing or coercing1 or directing another to influence or coerce1 for-- 7,a7 the removal or suppression of lawful speech1 in whole or in part1 from or on any interactive computer service2 7,b7 the addition of any disclaimer1 information1 or other alert to lawful speech being expressed on an interactive computer service2 or 7,c7 the removal or restriction of access of any person or entity on an interactive computer service generally available to the public1 unless such person or entity is engaged in unlawful speech or criminal activities on such service2 7#b7 the term employee has the meaning given that term in section #gcbb2 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;f772 and 7#d7 the term lawful speech means speech protected by the ,first ,amendment of the ,constitution4 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 ,including censorship activities under jurisdiction of ,office of ,special ,counsel ,strike paragraph 7#a7 of section #abaf7;a7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 and insert the following3 7#a7 political activity and censorship prohibited under subchapter ,,iii and subchapter ,,viii of chapter #gc1 relating to political and censorship activities1 respectively1 by ,federal employees2 4 7d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act or any amendment made by this ,act should be interpreted as prohibiting a lawful action by a ,federal agency to enforce a ,federal law or regulation1 to establish or enforce the terms and conditions of ,federal financial assistance1 or to prohibit a ,federal employee from using an official ,federal account on an interactive computer service to communicate an official policy position1 and relevant information1 to the public1 or provide information through normal press and public affairs relations4 7e7 ,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 ,march #b1 #bjbc,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed