Pence and House Republican Leadership Push for Vote Ending Fairness Doctrine

Press Release

PENCE AND HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP PUSH FOR VOTE ENDING FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

Challenges House Democrats to Sign Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom by the 4th of July

U.S. Congressman Mike Pence gave the following speech at a press conference today calling on Democrats to sign a discharge petition that would bring H.R. 2905, the Broadcaster Freedom Act, to the floor of the U.S. House. The Broadcaster Freedom Act would ensure that no future president could regulate the airwaves of America without an act of Congress.

"We come together today to oppose censorship on the airwaves of America, oppose the so-called Fairness Doctrine and challenge House Democrats to declare their independence, stand for freedom and sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom before the 4th of July.

"To those who join me here today, the Republican Leader John Boehner, Republican Whip Roy Blunt, Conference Chairman Adam Putnam, Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor, Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, and especially Congressman Walden, a former broadcaster and radio station owner, I want to say thank you for your tireless work in opposition to broadcast censorship. I also am pleased to welcome one of the most popular conservative commentators in America, Laura Ingraham, along with Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform. These and other conservative leaders have led the effort to send the so-called Fairness Doctrine to the ash heap of broadcast history and we are grateful.

"Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. It is dangerous to suggest that the government should be in the business of rationing free speech. During my years in radio and television, I developed a great respect for a free and independent press. Since being in Congress, I have been the recipient of praise and criticism from broadcast media, but it has not changed my fundamental belief that a free and independent press must be vigorously defended by those who love liberty.

"Sadly, some of the most powerful elected officials in America have said that Congress should bring back this outright regulation of the American political debate. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Senator Diane Feinstein and Senator John Kerry have openly advocated for bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Meanwhile, the top Democratic leadership of the House united last summer during consideration of the Financial Services Appropriations bill to oppose my amendment enacting a one-year moratorium on the Fairness Doctrine. But that amendment passed.

"When 309 Members voted in support of the Pence Amendment to ban the Fairness Doctrine for just one year, they demonstrated the broad, bipartisan support that exists in the House for ending the specter of the Fairness Doctrine once and for all.

"But to accomplish a permanent ban of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, we introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act on June 28, 2007.

"The Broadcaster Freedom Act would ensure that no future president could regulate the airwaves of America without an act of Congress, but despite evidence of broad bipartisan support, it has yet to be scheduled for a vote.

"If the Broadcaster Freedom Act were brought to a vote, the Broadcaster Freedom Act would pass.

"But Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats in Congress have refused to schedule the Broadcaster Freedom Act for a vote.

"Why? Because Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate have made it clear; they want to bring censorship back to the airwaves of America. They want to restore the so-called Fairness Doctrine.

"To force an up-or-down vote on the House floor, along with Republican leadership, Congressman Greg Walden and I filed a discharge petition on the Broadcaster Freedom Act on October 17, 2007.

"In the 238 days since we filed our petition for an up or down vote, nearly every Republican in Congress has supported this petition and not one single Democrat has signed the discharge petition for broadcast freedom.

"The American people should know that if 218 Members of Congress sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom, an up-or-down vote on this legislation will be scheduled and keep the Fairness Doctrine from ever coming back.

"And so, as Independence Day approaches and the legislative calendar contracts, I offer this challenge to every Member of Congress who voted for a one-year moratorium on the Fairness Doctrine but has not signed the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom:

"Declare your support for freedom and against censorship. Declare your independence from the Democratic leadership in Congress and sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom by the 4th of July.

"If you oppose the Fairness Doctrine, sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom by the 4th of July.

"If you cherish the dynamic national asset that is American talk radio, sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom by the 4th of July.

"If you simply believe that broadcast freedom deserves an up-or-down vote on the floor of the People's House, sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom by the 4th of July.

"I urge all of my colleagues who supported broadcast freedom last year to sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcast Freedom and bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act to the floor of this Congress.

"If the Broadcaster Freedom Act is brought to the floor of the House of Representatives, I have every confidence that it will pass because, when freedom gets an up-or-down vote in the People's House, freedom always wins."

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