1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The proposed Interstate Obscenity Definition Act represents a dangerous assault on free speech rights enshrined in the First Amendment. This legislation seeks to redefine obscenity in an overly broad and subjective manner that could censor a wide range of constitutionally protected expression. By discarding crucial safeguards like the "patently offensive" standard and relying on vague notions of intent and offensive content, the bill opens the door for the federal government to impose a single, conservative moral code on the entire nation. History has shown that obscenity laws are routinely abused to suppress controversial viewpoints, marginalized voices, and vital education resources related to sexuality and gender. The proposed legislation follows in this disturbing tradition, granting the state immense discretionary power to police online speech based on subjective standards of offensiveness and immorality. Such a regime would inevitably lead to rampant self-censorship as artists, publishers, and platforms err on the side of caution to avoid legal repercussions. The internet and digital media must remain robustly protected forums for free expression, not subject to the whims of shifting political winds or the imposition of a narrow set of values. This misguided bill poses an existential threat to the First Amendment and cannot be allowed to pass. I urge you to firmly oppose the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act and uphold the foundational principles of free speech that have fostered the open exchange of ideas for centuries.