Free Speech

Floor Speech

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, the First Amendment of our Constitution is first because nothing is more important to secure liberty and freedom of speech and freedom of the press than our First Amendment.

There are currently two scandals that put into question the President's commitment to this sacred freedom, with the Justice Department secretly obtaining phone records of reporters at the Associated Press and Fox News, and the IRS targeting certain groups because of their political beliefs.

Yesterday, the Ways and Means Committee held a hearing with the victims of the IRS abuse, and we learned that IRS officials not only asked many inappropriate questions to members of these groups, like what books they read or what was in their prayers, but also tried to tell free Americans who they could not protest against, and even illegally released private tax records to groups with opposing viewpoints.

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press should never be in question in this Nation, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, we can all agree that units of the Federal Government should never use their powers to punish Americans simply because of their ideas. This House will get to the bottom of this issue by following the facts. These free people, our great patriots, deserve no less.

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