A resolution expressing that any attempt by foreign entities to censor or penalize constitutionally protected speech of United States persons shall be opposed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 567 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 567

 Expressing that any attempt by foreign entities to censor or penalize 
  constitutionally protected speech of United States persons shall be 
                                opposed.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 17, 2025

 Mr. Lee submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing that any attempt by foreign entities to censor or penalize 
  constitutionally protected speech of United States persons shall be 
                                opposed.

Whereas freedom of speech is a fundamental, constitutional right of every United 
        States person;
Whereas freedom of speech is a hallmark of American exceptionalism;
Whereas freedom of speech is necessary to ensure that truth can always be 
        spoken, lies can always be exposed, and important questions can always 
        be asked, and that the strong can always be challenged and the 
        vulnerable can always be heard;
Whereas no person is fit to govern the thoughts or beliefs of another;
Whereas public forums, including social media platforms, give people the 
        opportunity to exercise their right to free speech;
Whereas undue foreign influence threatens the constitutionally protected right 
        to freedom of speech;
Whereas the Digital Services Act of the European Union requires large platforms 
        to remove certain speech based on the incorrect assertion that 
        politicians are entitled to govern the thoughts and beliefs of other 
        persons;
Whereas the European Union is attempting to force United States entities to use 
        products and technology to censor and undermine free speech occurring in 
        the United States;
Whereas the European Union is threatening steep penalties under the Digital 
        Services Act if United States entities do not implement the censorship 
        regime required under the Act;
Whereas, on August 12, 2024, the European Union threatened Elon Musk with 
        penalties under the Digital Services Act for conducting an interview 
        with President Trump on X, insinuating that the conversation between 
        United States citizens on United States soil would produce ``harmful 
        content'' that would ``spillover'' from the United States;
Whereas, on December 5, 2025, the European Union announced a $140,000,000 fine 
        against X under the Digital Services Act;
Whereas the European Union is actively investigating and discouraging the use of 
        Community Notes-style policies employed by social media companies to 
        avoid censorship and institutional bias, instead pushing for aggressive 
        content censorship models;
Whereas the Digital Services Act authorizes fines of up to 6 percent of a 
        company's global revenue for not complying with efforts to target speech 
        by United States persons;
Whereas the actions of the European Union under the Digital Services Act 
        conflict with the sovereign duty of the United States Government to 
        protect the constitutional rights of United States persons; and
Whereas such actions by the European Union, if left unchecked, may cause a 
        chilling effect on free speech in the United States: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms its commitment to protecting the commercial 
        interests and free speech rights of United States persons;
            (2) recognizes that the Digital Services Act is 
        incompatible with the free speech tradition of the United 
        States and the commitments that technology companies have made 
        to hosting a diversity of opinions;
            (3) disapproves of any attempt by a foreign entity to 
        export censorship or limit the exercise of free speech by 
        United States persons;
            (4) disapproves of any attempt by a foreign entity to levy 
        fines or other penalties against United States persons 
        participating in constitutionally protected activities;
            (5) disapproves of the attempts by the European Union to 
        force United States entities to develop or use products and 
        technology in ways that undermine free speech or foster 
        censorship;
            (6) commits to oppose any implementation of disapproved 
        activities; and
            (7) urges the Trump administration to ensure swift and firm 
        rejoinders to any implementation of disapproved activities.
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