Virginia Foxx: “as part of the Constitutional Caucus, we try every week to raise issues that are of concern to us, because dealing with…”

“as part of the Constitutional Caucus, we try every week to raise issues that are of concern to us, because dealing with the Constitution, observing the Constitution and honoring the Constitution is very, very important to us. It is the basis of everything that we do here in the Congress and should be the basis of every lawmaking body in our country. So tonight I want to talk a little bit about the first amendment and a concern that I have about an assault that has been made on the first amendment by a previous Congress. The first amendment clearly states that 'Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.' Our Founding Fathers understood the vital role that free speech played in the health and functioning of our democracy. They lived under the restrictions of colonial England, and were very intent on creating a new system of government that respected the right to speech and political expression. One of the strongest proponents of the Constitution's Bill of Rights, Patrick Henry, said: 'Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel.' Today, as Mr. Henry advised 200 years ago, I look with suspicion at some of the legislation that has emerged from this body. I am suspicious that we have at times not given adequate attention to the 'public liberty' that Patrick Henry so strongly urged us to guard. Congress must take great care when attempting to control political expression.”