Protect the First Amendment Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4067

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-20: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Last Updated

2025-07-21T15:11:20Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The "Protect the First Amendment Act" (H.R. 4067) aims to prevent the federal government from using taxpayer funds to support entities that engage in activities perceived as censoring or penalizing lawful speech, particularly by rating or demonetizing news and information sources based on claims of misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation (harmful but true information).

Key Provisions

• Funding Prohibition: No federal funds may be used for contracts, grants, or awards to:
• "Covered entities," specifically NewsGuard Technologies, Inc. (and successors) or Disinformation Index entities (including Global Disinformation Index, and successors).
• Any nonprofit organization (defined as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) or other entity that engages in "covered behavior."
• Definition of Covered Behavior: Activities or products that rate the credibility of U.S.-based entities (like news outlets) or demonetize them (e.g., reduce their advertising revenue) by evaluating their lawful speech as misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation.
• Scope: Applies broadly to federal government operations, with no exceptions specified in the bill.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces a new, targeted ban on federal funding for specific organizations and similar activities, which did not previously exist in U.S. law. It builds on general First Amendment protections but adds a fiscal restriction (defunding) to deter what the legislation describes as indirect censorship, without altering core free speech laws or creating new regulatory agencies.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Agencies like those involved in oversight, media relations, or anti-disinformation efforts (e.g., under the Department of Defense or State Department) would be restricted from partnering with or funding the named entities or similar groups, potentially limiting tools for combating foreign influence operations while avoiding domestic speech issues.
• Citizens and Media: Could protect domestic news outlets and speakers from financial penalties tied to subjective misinformation labels, fostering freer expression online and in media. However, it might reduce government-supported resources for verifying information, indirectly affecting public access to fact-checking.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the focus is on domestic entities, but it could signal U.S. policy against funding international disinformation trackers (like the Global Disinformation Index), potentially straining collaborations with allies on global misinformation threats.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Covered Entities: NewsGuard and Global Disinformation Index, which rely on ratings to influence advertiser decisions and could lose federal contracts or grants.
• Nonprofits and Similar Organizations: Tax-exempt groups involved in media credibility assessments, facing funding cuts if their work involves demonetizing based on speech content.
• Federal Government: Agencies and departments that previously engaged these entities for advisory or contractual services.
• Media Outlets and Citizens: U.S.-based news and information providers benefit from reduced risk of demonetization; the public gains indirect protection for diverse viewpoints but may see fewer anti-misinformation initiatives.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Constitutional: Reinforces First Amendment principles by using funding restrictions to safeguard lawful speech from perceived government-enabled censorship, but raises questions about whether it overly interferes with private entities' operations or creates viewpoint discrimination (e.g., by targeting specific organizations).
• Legal: Establishes enforceable definitions for "covered behavior," potentially leading to litigation over what qualifies as misinformation rating versus neutral analysis; enforcement would fall under congressional oversight without new judicial mechanisms.
• Political: As a bill introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, it reflects partisan concerns over tech and media influence, possibly sparking debates on balancing free speech with disinformation risks, though it remains neutral in application to all qualifying entities.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-20: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
• 2025-06-20: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-20: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Protect the First Amendment Act — issued 2025-06-20 — PDF (3 pages)