1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA), which would effectively criminalize all pornography nationwide by legally redefining what it means to be obscene. For years, “obscenity” has been all but a defunct legal category that narrowly defines speech that remains unprotected (https://uwm.edu/freespeech/faqs/what-is-obscenity/) by the First Amendment. This bill would explode this legal category, expanding it to encompass virtually all visual representations of sex. This is an unconstitutional overreach by Congress to stifle protected speech and to enforce others' morality on the general public. This bill's definition of obscenity is so ridiculously broad that it could effectively criminalize Game of Thrones (https://reason.com/2025/05/12/republicans-want-to-redefine-obscenity/). Vote No on this bill.