The Censorship Accountability Act would allow individuals to sue federal employees personally when those employees violate someone's First Amendment rights while acting under government authority. This applies to executive branch employees, including those at independent agencies, but excludes the President and Vice President. The bill includes an exception preventing federal employees from suing their own employer or the federal government for actions taken within the normal scope of their job duties. If a lawsuit under this law succeeds, courts have discretion to award reasonable attorney's fees to the winning party, as long as that party is not the United States government itself. The bill also contains a severability clause, meaning that if any part of the law is struck down as unconstitutional, the rest of the law would remain in effect. This legislation was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee with an amendment on July 11, 2024, and does not specify a particular funding amount or implementation timeline, as it primarily creates a new legal right of action rather than a federal program.
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