HR 9850 United States House · 118th Congress

No Funding or Enforcement of Censorship Abroad Act

This bill prohibits U.S. foreign aid and law enforcement cooperation with foreign entities that engage in online censorship of protected speech. It blocks funding under the Foreign Assistance Act if a foreign government, agency, or NGO (like Brazil's electoral court) demands platforms remove lawful content not violating platform terms. U.S. agencies must also refuse requests from foreign law enforcement that would censor protected speech, with annual reporting to Congress. The law specifically targets censorship orders from entities like Brazil's Supreme Court Justice de Moraes that pressured U.S. platforms to remove content. It defines "online censorship" as demands to remove lawful speech, excluding cases involving terrorism or child exploitation.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Sep 25, 2024 Last action Sep 25, 2024
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2
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Committee
1
Sep 25, 2024
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
lower
Sep 25, 2024
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

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