Re: VOTE ""YES"" ON H.R. 1606, THE ""ONLINE FREEDOM OF SPEECH ACT
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union and its over 400,000 members, we urge you vote in favor of H.R. 1606, the ""Online Freedom of Speech Act."" It is critically important to maintain the Internet as a ""free speech zone,"" and to allow uninhibited and robust debate to flourish online.
The Federal Elections Commission is currently considering whether and to what extent it should regulate political speech on the Internet. This bill would settle the question by exempting communications on the Internet from the definition of ""public communications,"" under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
The Internet is a unique medium supporting speech as ""broad as human thought"" and allowing virtually anyone to be a ""town crier."" Ordinary people may act as speakers and publishers and reach millions of other people. For these reasons, the Supreme Court has afforded speech on the Internet the highest constitutional protection, consistent with that afforded books, newspapers, and magazines. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) specifically exempted newspapers from most of its regulation, including the ""electioneering communications"" provisions. Since the Internet is supposed to be afforded similar protection, it makes sense, both logically and constitutionally, to enact this bill.
Ordinary people should be able to engage in volunteer and independent political activity without hiring a lawyer to advise them and without running afoul of the law. This bill will allow the online community to further develop and maximize the ability of individuals and groups to engage in political discourse.
For all of these reasons, we urge you to vote ""yes"" when the bill comes up for consideration.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson
Director
Marvin J. Johnson
Legislative Counsel