AMAC joins numerous conservative organizations to oppose H.R. 1 and S. 1 that would, among other things, dramatically alter First Amendment protections Americans have enjoyed since the founding of our country.
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House of Representatives
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Republican Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Republican Leader McCarthy, Majority Leader Schumer, and Republican Leader McConnell,
On behalf of the millions of Americans who cherish and rely on the right to support causes we believe in without fear of harassment and intimidation, we, the undersigned individuals and organizations, ask you to reject H.R. 1 and S. 1, the deceptively named “For the People Act.”
Nonprofit organizations serve a vital role in encouraging free speech and the free exchange of ideas. Privately supporting causes — and the | organizations advancing those causes — is a fundamental freedom protected by the First Amendment.
Our Founding Fathers used pen names to encourage independence from Great Britain. Nearly 200 years later, the Supreme Court of the United States blocked the state of Alabama from demanding the supporter list of the NAACP, citing concerns about retribution against the group’s members and financial backers. And last month, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging a California regulation forcing charities to hand over their supporter lists to the government.
H.R. 1 and S. 1 would dramatically alter the First Amendment protections that Americans have enjoyed since the founding of our country. It would institute sweeping new burdens on their constitutionally protected rights to freely speak, publish, and organize into groups to advocate for the causes they support. In particular, H.R. 1 and S. 1 would impose onerous and unworkable regulatory standards on the ability of individual Americans and groups of Americans to discuss the policy issues of the day with elected officials and the public. This bill would also violate the privacy of advocacy groups and their supporters and stringently and excessively regulate political speech on the Internet.
More specifically, H.R. 1 and S. 1 include numerous, sweeping provisions that would violate the First Amendment rights of Americans by:
• Subjecting citizens who contribute to nonprofit organizations to harassment and intimidation by making their personal information available in a searchable government database. This mandate focuses public attention on the individuals and donors who support causes instead of on the messages communicated by those organizations, exacerbating the politics of division and personal destruction and further coarsening political discourse. This would have a considerable chilling effect on civic
engagement and free speech.
• Policing speech by Americans about legislative issues by expanding the definition of “electioneering communications” – historically limited to large-scale TV and radio campaigns targeted to the electorate in a campaign for office – to include online advertising that bears no relation to an election. This will subject far more issue ads to burdensome disclaimer requirements, which will coerce groups into truncating their message and make some advertising, especially online, practically impossible.
• Indiscriminately regulating groups that incidentally or occasionally advocate on federal judicial nominations and require those groups to broadly expose their donors, even if those citizens had nothing to do with the groups’ speech about judicial nominees.
• Forcing groups to publicly identify their supporters on the face of the ads themselves. Faced with the prospect of being inaccurately associated with what the law would consider (unjustifiably, in many or most instances) “campaign” ads in FEC reports and disclaimers, many donors will choose not to give to nonprofit groups.
• Increasing regulation of the online speech of American citizens while purporting (and failing) to address the threat of Russian propaganda.
• Expanding the universe of regulated online political speech by Americans beyond paid advertising to include communications on groups’ or individuals’ own websites and email messages.
• Deterring American citizens from serving their country through political appointments by forcing them to disclose their donations to causes they have supported in the past. Our elections will not be more honest, more informed, or more secure from foreign interference if we sacrifice the privacy of American citizens. But our democracy will be weakened if voices are eliminated from public debate through intimidation and overregulation.
As a Member of Congress, you have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. H.R. 1 and S. 1 propose multiple violations of our First Amendment rights. On behalf of the millions of American citizens our organizations represent, we strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 1 and S. 1.
Sincerely,
Heather Lauer, Executive Director
People United for Privacy
Lisa B. Nelson
Chief Executive Officer
ALEC Action
Michael P. Farris, President & CEO
Alliance Defending Freedom
James L. Martin, Founder/Chairman
Saulius “Saul” Anuzis, President
60 Plus Association
Caleb Crosby, President and CEO
Alabama Policy Institute
Bethany Marcum, CEO
Alaska Policy Forum
John Droz, Jr., Founder
Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions
Bob Carlstrom, President
AMAC Action
Dick Patten, President
American Business Defense Council
Phil Kerpen, President
American Commitment
Bill Johnson, President
American Decency Association
Tom Pyle, President
American Energy Alliance
Carrie Ann Donnell, President & CEO* American Juris Link
Gary L. Bauer, President*
American Values
Bradley Johnson, President
Americans for Intelligence Reform
Richard Manning, President
Americans for Limited Government
Mike Nichols, President
Badger Institute
Nathan Anderson, Executive Director
Concerned Veterans for America
Penny Young Nance, CEO and President
Concerned Women for America
Legislative Action Committee
Ron Pearson, Executive Director
Conservative Victory Fund
The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr.,
Managing Editor
ConservativeHQ.com
Thomas A. Schatz, President
Council for Citizens Against Government
Waste
Linda W. Smith, President
D. James Kennedy Center for Christian
Statesmanship
Frank Wright, Ph.D., President & CEO*
D. James Kennedy Ministries
Katie McAuliffe, Executive Director
Digital Liberty
Lawson Bader, President & CEO
DonorsTrust
Colleen Holcomb, President
Eagle Forum
Tim Hoefer, President & CEO
Empire Center for New York State Policy
Craig Richardson, President*
Energy & Environment Legal Institute
Rob Roper, President
Ethan Allen Institute
Patrick Purtill, Director of Legislative
Affairs
Faith & Freedom Coalition
Fred Birnbaum, Director of Legislative Affairs
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Idaho Freedom Action
Matt Paprocki, President
Illinois Policy Institute
Jon C. Caldara, President
Independence Institute
Heather R. Higgins, CEO
Independent Women’s Voice
Ryan McCann, Executive Director*
Indiana Family Institute
Andrew Langer, President
Institute for Liberty
F. Vinnie Vernuccio, President
Institute for the American Worker
Chris Ingstad, President
Iowans for Tax Relief
James Bopp Jr., General Counsel
James Madison Center for Free Speech
Becki Gray, Senior Vice President
John Locke Foundation
James Franko, President*
Kansas Policy Institute
Phillip Wright, Executive Director*
Keep My Voice
Jacob Hibbard, President
Latter-day Freemen
Seton Motley, President
Less Government
Colin A. Hanna, President
Let Freedom Ring
Chris Chmielenski, Vice President
NumbersUSA
Ellen Weaver, President & CEO
Palmetto Promise Institute
Daniel Erspamer, CEO
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Michael Geer, President
Pennsylvania Family Institute
Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer
Platte Institute
Mary Taylor, President*
Pro-Life Utah
Lorenzo Montanari, Executive Director
Property Rights Alliance
Eli Lehrer, President
R Street Institute
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
Rhode Island Center for Freedom &
Prosperity
Denise Leipold, Executive Director*
Right to Life of Northeast Ohio
James Wigderson, Editor*
RightWisconsin
Paul Gessing, President
Rio Grande Foundation
Bette Grande, CEO
Roughrider Policy Center
James Setterlund, Executive Director
Shareholder Advocacy Forum
Sharp, President and CEO
State Policy Network
Rusty Cannon, Vice President
Utah Taxpayers Association
Diane Spicher, President
Veterans and Patriots United
Jane Richey, Local Coordinator
Vegango County Tea Party Patriots
Lynn Taylor, President
Virginia Institute for Public Policy
Tertium Quids
Dann Mead Smith, President/CEO
Washington Policy Center
Susan Loch, Co-Owner
WFYL 1180 AM
Julaine K. Appling President*
Wisconsin Family Council
Richard M. Esenberg, President & General Counsel*
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
Scott Manley, Executive Vice President of Government Relations
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
Scott Suder, President*
Wisconsin Paper Council
Heather Weininger, Executive Director*
Wisconsin Right to Life
*Affiliation used for identification
purposes only.
Grover Norquist, President
Americans For Tax Reform
Brent Wm. Gardner, Chief Government
Affairs Officer
Americans for Prosperity
John Toedtman, Executive Director
Caesar Rodney Institute
Will Swaim, President
California Policy Center
Ryan Johnson, Associate Commissioner,
District 2*
Cass County Commission
Ryan Ellis, President*
Center for a Free Economy
Cathi Herrod, Esq, President
Center for Arizona Policy
Andrew F. Quinlan, President
Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Jeff Mazzella, President
Center for Individual Freedom
Star Parker, President
Rev. Tim Latiff, Clergy Director
Center for Urban Renewal and Education
John Hinderaker, President
Center of the American Experiment
Larry Cirignano
Children First Foundation
David Nammo, Executive Director & CEO
Christian Legal Society
Aaron Baer, President*
Citizens for Community Values
David N. Bossie, President*
Citizens United
Charles Mitchell, President and CEO
Commonwealth Foundation
Kent Lassman, President and CEO
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Craig DeRoche, President & CEO
Family Policy Alliance
Bob Dane, Executive Director*
Federation for American Immigration
Reform
Kelly Shackelford, Esq., President, CEO &
Chief Counsel
First Liberty
Tom McCabe, CEO
Freedom Foundation
Annette Meeks, CEO
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Adam Brandon, President
FreedomWorks
Randy Hicks, President and CEO
Georgia Center for Opportunity
Victor Riches, President and CEO
Goldwater Institute
Ron Williamson, President
Great Plains Public Policy Institute
Tim Macy, Chairman
Gun Owners of America
Sam Paredes, Executive Director
Gun Owners of California
Jessica Anderson, Executive Director
Heritage Action
Mario Lopez, President
Hispanic Leadership Fund
Jon Coupal, President
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Daniel Perrin, President
HSA Coalition
Connor Boyack, President
Libertas Institute
Charles T. Moran, Managing Director
Log Cabin Republicans
Gene Mills, President
Louisiana Family Forum
Joseph Lehman, President
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Tom McClusky, President
March for Life Action
John Helmberger, Chief Executive Officer
Minnesota Family Council
Douglas Carswell, President & CEO
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Gregg Keller, Chairman
Missouri Century Foundation
Hunter King, Director of Federal Affairs
National Association for Gun Rights
Troy A. Miller, CEO
National Religious Broadcasters
Carol Tobias, President
National Right to Life
Greg Mourad, Vice President
National Right to Work Committee
Pete Sepp, President
National Taxpayers Union
Karen Bowling, Executive Director
Nebraska Family Alliance
Robert Fellner, Vice President & Policy
Director
Nevada Policy Research Institute
Maureen Blum, Founder and Principal
Strategic Coalitions & Initiatives LCC
Kristan Hawkins, President
Students for Life of America
Students for Life Action
David William, President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Judson Phillips, Founder
Tea Party Nation
Jenny Beth Martin, Honorary Chairman*
Tea Party Patriots Action
Robert Alt, President and CEO
The Buckeye Institute
Gary Marx, President
The Concord Fund
Art Harman, Executive Director
The Conservative Caucus / Americans for Constitutional Liberty
Jim Lakely, Vice President
The Heartland Institute
J. Robert McClure III, Ph. D., President and CEO
The James Madison Institute
Brett Healy, President
The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Daniel Garza, President
The LIBRE Initiative
Renee Carlson, General Counsel
True North Legal
Carl Bearden, CEO
United for Missouri
BEWARE! That is exactly what the Con-Con supporters are trying to do.
We have got to join together and fight, fight, fight for our rights since our current President, Donald J. Trump has been censored along with all great American Conservatives!! WE WANT OUR AMERICA BACK, OUR PRESIDENT BACK IN HIS RIGHTFUL OFFICE and we want to continue to Keep America Great!!!!!!!!!! If not, we will soon have a civil war to fight!
These Rules are disgusting, I don’t understand how anyone in their right mind can support either of these bills.
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO STOP THE CANCEROUS, ANTI-AMERICAN, LYING, libs………
Your stand on this is very important to the Civil Rights of all Americans.
I hope this has some effect but, Democrats are evil and hate Americans.
I applaud the effort, but perhaps I’m a bit jaded. Do you really think these haters in Congress will listen? It’s not about hating Donald Trump anymore. They hate every person who doesn’t support their radical agenda that strips us of Constitutional rights. Republicans in Congress are mostly weak and have no clout. I’m glad AMAC has our backs, but I doubt you’ll be able to get through to these people.
THANK YOU!!!!!
Thank you AMAC, this is a good start to preserving America.
There is nothing “honorable” about nancy pelosi and chuck schumer. I have my doubts about the other two as well.
The “for the people act” should more aptly be called “for the communists act”. This is another attempt by the democrats to limit free speech and association. By forcing conservative groups to identify their supporters is not an accident and is dangerous as the democrats have shown that they support the paramilitary radical groups that would likely engage in violence and intimidation in order to silence the democrats opposition.
I know that it is customary and probably proper, but using the title “Honorable” for this group makes my stomach turn.
We need term limits, but we all know that will never happen.
Thank you for the courage to stand up to tyranny in action!
Thank you and I would sign this document.
I know what you are attempting to accomplish here, and why you are going about it this way. I applaud you for it. But seriously. Reason, logic and the rule of law? I’m sure you know that they could not care less about any of this.
These people know exactly what they are doing. They are lying to us, of course. But this bill accomplishes exactly what they want. And they will implement it regardless of what anyone thinks.
Of course it’s unconstitutional. But name something the democrats have done in the last four years, or the last 4 weeks for that matter, That wasn’t. The law of the land is a blessing to the conservative. But an obscene obstacle to the left. They can’t be fully honest about this fact just yet. But they are less and less concerned that we know it as they come ever closer to their goal of entrenched and unlimited power.
Like dripping battery acid on a steel plate, slowly attempting to erode our rights. I support your efforts to get the US Legislature back on track, doing the people’s work, not that of special interest groups and anti- A1 and A2 rights. Thank you for taking this action.
Please do not put the honorable in front of their names. There is nothing honorable about these people they are traitors to our country and they should be treated as such.
Thank you AMAC – for standing up for our right to speak against power.
Good work re addressing the communists’ striking 1st Amendment rights, but communists do not care about citizens’ objections.
If you think sending a nicely worded request to the criminals in charge of Congress, you had better retkink what you are asking of them. They will no more listen to you than they do to anyone else who has tried to get through their thick skulls.
Apparently the only thing the Anarchist socialist Left understand is bullets, so I say tell them the truth. The truth being that if continue to fuque over the people, they will rise up and do to the policians what the Italians did to Benito Mussolini. They hung his sick rear end to the nearest lamp post.
If the Socialist Left do not think it can happen here is the Good Ole US of A, they need to get their heads out and wake the heck up.
If these bills become law then turn the torch off in Lady Liberty’s up-reached hand for what she stands for will be banned in this once free land of ours!
Unless it benefits those you are writing to they will ignore it. They have shown no honor or integrity these past four years. They have exposed their true intentions. Destroy the Constitution and Christian way if life.
Please don’t “mess” with our rights!
H.R. 1 and S. 1 is a page out of every tyrannical, dictatorial playbook–silence dissent This country is in very, VERY serious trouble. Anyone that hasn’t figured that out yet…WAKE UP, THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!!!
Demand! Not urge. Whoever votes for this is a traitor to the people of the United States. They have also broken their oath of office to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States. It looks like they don’t give a ##### what they do as long as its headed straight to communism.
Why do you address them as Honorable?
I think it’s times like these where we have to realize exactly why the SECOND ammendment was put into place…
Thank You!! Please keep us informed, I am afraid this is only the start of the” lefts”, making America a socialist society, and ruining the greatest, kindest, defenders of all living beings on earth. We may not be perfect but we are continuing to try. Hopefully we can stop them, until we get enough intelligent beings back in power. This is where Hitler, Stalin and every other cruel ruler started, God Help Us!!
Demonrats are commies. The left has gone communist.Open borders,D.C.statehood and Gropey Joe killing jobs.Buy ammo people,you are going to need it.
Please add my name to your petition.
Thank you for standing up for FREEDOM
This is what we have to look forward to, thanks in great part to the Republicans who kept their heads in the sand while our President was fighting for everything he wanted to do to make our country healthy. I am so disappointed in the fakers and liars who signed and petitioned votes as “Republicans” and then they turned-coat when they were needed most to defend the country. What a sham. Looking at those fat pigs in the picture you have posted today makes me see that the Democratic Party is no longer a party of the people and for the people. They are a corrupt bunch of politically rich socialists/communists who made their money off of the American Government and the people’s taxes, voted lifetime jobs for themselves, and now sit as “judge and jury” to the world. The same tactics brought us the defiant rulers of Europe that caused the Second World War, the death of hundred of thousands of good people, and the ruination of freedom in all their countries. It makes me sick to say we have to properly address them as “Honorable”?????? because none of them are. And as we can already see, nothing will be accepted if it comes from the people of America as a complaint against the present government control-freaks. All they wanted the past four years was a full Democratic House, Senate and President and now they have it and look what a short month has accomplished! Selfishness, destruction, spiteful retorts, continuation of impeachment process, etc.
The Republican National Party should be spending every waking minute pressing to impeach this Pretend President who was not elected by the people of America, but had to resort to Communist Tactics and illegal voting to be where he is now. Come on people!!! Wake UP before we will all be part of the One World Order. Two years from now will be too late!!!
Need more positive action like this, rather than a lot of rhetoric that doesn’t produce anything of possible impact.
Why are the people’s rights being taken away? Whose idea is this?
Thank you
add HR 66666, too probe this House bill
Appalling. This should quickly be dowsed by SCOTUS, but it’s chilling that they even try to do this. It’s a way of making a list to persecute people who contribute to nonfavored organizations. I’m a life member of the NRA – a list they very much want to have.
Right on!! More positive action needed!!
Way to go, we need to fight on every turn, to stop the commie take over !!!!!
Where are the Republicans speaking out like the democrats did speaking ou against Trump?
THANK YOU AMAC!!! IF We The People are needed to sign a petition, let us know where and when….this piece of legislation is just another sneaky way for the Demons in government to shut everyone down and allow themselves completely free reign over us…..UNCONSCIONABLE !! AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!
Trying to be a realist. Thanks for the effort, but do you really think that the people that gave us the fraudulent election give a rats rear end about what we think? They only understand one thing and that is unemployed or dead.
I would sign this in a heartbeat. I always follow the constitution
We have to try and insure that the current administration does not ruin our nation. All they want to to protect their own interests and to hell with anyone who thinks differently. Please keep up the good work.
keep up the good work AMAC .let me know what i can do.
Please add my name to petition or inform me how I can sign one. Thank you.
This is targeting American Citizens of different political parties other than those who are in power at this time. They are trying to quash our rights.
Thank you much for standing up. Our voices must be heard! We almost must voice our outrage for HR127!
Thanks for the update, but if you don’t inform us as private citizens what we can do on an individual level, this is all just talk. Direct us what we can and should be doing to stop this attack on our rights.
I would gladly sign a petition regarding vetoing H.R. 1 and S. 1. This isn’t just a political game; according to your article, it would take away several of our First Amendment Rights! As they say, SIGN ME UP!!!