This bill prohibits the State Department, its employees, and any individuals or organizations receiving State Department grants or contracts from censoring the free speech of U.S. citizens. The legislation defines censorship broadly to include directly suppressing speech or pressuring third parties like social media companies to moderate or remove content. It also bars the State Department from funding entities that publish advertising blacklists targeting citizens based on their speech or distribute censorship tools without adequate safeguards. The bill requires the Secretary of State to notify Congress and affected citizens within seven days of learning about potential censorship violations by department staff or funded entities, and mandates that appropriate corrective action be taken for past misconduct. No specific funding amount or implementation deadline is specified beyond the seven-day notification requirement.
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