David Skaggs: “later this week the House will take up consideration of the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and…”

“later this week the House will take up consideration of the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. I want to call my colleagues' attention to the fact that not included in this appropriations bill are some 13 pages of legislation, something we are not supposed to do on appropriations bills. The topic of this 13-page legislative provision is 'Political Advocacy.' It flies directly in the face of the first amendment to the Constitution which says that this body, the Congress, shall make no law concerning free speech, freedom of association, or the right to petition the Government. But that is precisely what this 13-page piece of legislation, buried in this appropriations bill, will do. Mr. Speaker, the subtitle of this title says, 'Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds for Political Advocacy.' As it happens, of course, that is already illegal. The real sweep of this legislative proposal has very little to do with Federal funds. What it does have to do with is your use of your own funds. Every single American citizen, nonprofit organization, recipient of a Federal research grant likely is going to be swept into the impact of this incredible and chilling piece of legislation.”