The Senate is getting ready to vote to restrict your freedom of speech. We need you to contact them and tell them “No.”
Earlier this year, we told you about H.R.1, the 800-page bill passed by the House of Representatives that would overhaul our election system and restrict free speech. Soon, the Senate will be bringing its version of the bill to the floor for a vote. If passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden, this massive federal overreach will become the law of the land.
The legislation is touted as a much-needed election reform bill; it has even been dubbed the “For the People Act.” Who would want to vote against something that’s “for the people?”
But this bill isn’t for the people, for multiple reasons.
Most opponents of the bill point out that it’s an unconstitutional federal takeover of the election process that would allow for universal mail-in balloting, a ban on state voter ID requirements, ballot harvesting, and many other controversial measures that make elections less, not more, secure.
While it is impossible to characterize these measures as anything other than extremely controversial, they are not what is most concerning to us here at HSLDA Action. The reason this bill concerns us, and homeschooling, is that S.1 (the Senate version of H.R.1), will severely curb the ability of average Americans to make their political opinions known. By restricting your free speech, the bill would reduce the ability of nonprofits (like us) to do policy work and political advocacy.
As homeschool advocates, we understand the importance of freedom; freedom of education, freedom of association, and freedom to support the causes you care deeply about. If passed, S. 1 will severely limit our ability to do just that. It will place onerous, unnecessary regulations on non-profit organizations like HSLDA Action and HSLDA and negatively affect the donors who support us.
Currently, there are 49 sponsors for S.1, senators who tacitly endorse this restrictive regulation of speech. That isn’t enough to pass the bill, but there’s a good chance that more senators will join them. Please contact your senators today and ask them not to vote for S.1.
In case you missed our previous article, here are the most concerning provisions of the bill related to freedom of speech and nonprofits:
Regulates Legislative Content
- S. 1 would redefine any public communications on policy matters as “electioneering.” Organizations would be required to file a report to the Federal Election Commission regarding whether or not they support or oppose a politician they mention, even if that mention does not express either support or opposition to that person. For example, every time we write an article about a bill that would harm homeschooling and mention which legislators support or oppose the policy, we’d have to send a report to the FEC. (pg. 527 Sec. 4206)
- S. 1 also creates a new category of speech: communications that “promote,” “attack,” “support,” or “oppose” (“PASO”) federal candidates and elected officials. Under this broad and vague standard, groups that merely speak about federal legislation or policy issues could be forced to file FEC reports that they didn’t have to file before.
Rather than providing political transparency, these provisions will stifle free speech and limit an organization’s ability to communicate their values. Most non-profits don’t have the legal resources to report on every single communication they put out that’s related to policy or legislative matters. This will prohibit many organizations from communicating about important policy issues to their members.
Threatens Donor Anonymity
- S. 1 would dramatically increase donor disclosure requirements, severely limiting the ability of non-profit organizations and the individuals who support them to engage in public debate on important issues. (pg. 496 Section E)
- S. 1 also mandates the disclosure of the names and addresses of donors giving more than $10,000 to groups that engage in “campaign-related disbursements.” It also requires that organizations name their top five donors in every disclaimer, a disclaimer that will be required on all policy-related communications (pg. 542, beginning at line 9). As toxic as our political environment is today, this could lead to donors being harassed simply for financially supporting organizations they agree with.
Clearly, this bill is not “for the people.” It violates free speech, limits freedom of association, and hampers the ability of organizations like ours to do the work that we do.
Please contact your senators today and ask them to protect free speech and oppose S. 1.