Bill would have provided for disciplinary actions akin to those for violations of Hatch Act. Image: Creative Lab/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has defeated a bid to, in the words of sponsor Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, “prohibit federal employees from using their official position to censor speech on social media and other outlets.”
The proposal, offered as an amendment to a separate bill, largely mirrored a bill (HR-140) the House passed earlier this year on a party-line vote directed toward what supporters characterized as greater accountability for federal employees.
It sought to bar federal employees from using their official authority to order or suggest a communications provider to take actions such as removing or suppressing postings, labeling them as disinformation, or blocking or suspending participants because of their postings.
It also similarly would have provided for disciplinary actions akin to those for violations of Hatch Act restrictions on political activities, including firing, debarment from federal employment for up to five years, and fines.
The House bill has not advanced in the Senate, however, and the bipartisan defeat of the similar language in the committee could signal that it won’t be brought to a vote there. The amendment was rejected on a 13-2 vote, with only Paul and Sen. Doc Marshall, R-Kansas, voting for it.
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