Amendment to Limit Free Speech Fails in the Senate

Statement

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that a constitutional amendment, which would have altered the Bill of Rights and prevented free speech, failed on a cloture vote of 54-42. Cloture votes require 60 votes for passage. In addition, a constitutional amendment needs 67 votes to pass the Senate.

"It should worry everyone that there are 54 Senators who think that less free speech is better. Our government is stronger when more citizens participate in the electoral process. That includes exercising the right of political free speech and exercising the right to vote. Free speech creates a marketplace of ideas and fosters participatory democracy, allowing an educated citizenry to cast votes to elect its leaders," Grassley said.

The constitutional amendment proposed by Senate Democrats would limit the unfiltered ability of the electorate to advocate, influence, persuade, denounce, criticize and challenge those running for public office. The amendment would abridge the fundamental right of free speech by enabling the government to limit funds contributed to candidates and restrict spending by individuals or groups to express political views to the public during an election.

The proposed amendment would protect incumbents, and would jeopardize the ability of citizens to criticize politicians, challenge government policy and influence their neighbor's views on politics and policy upon penalty of imprisonment. Members of Congress could decide what citizens may or may not say leading up to an election.

"This would have been the first time in 227 years that the Bill of Rights has been amended," Grassley said. "It's a slippery slope. When you start amending freedom of speech, are you next going to amend freedom of religion? Where does it end?"

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