Defend Free Speech—Protect the Foundation of Our Democracy

The events of this week have made it alarmingly clear: free speech in America is under threat. Whether it’s the silencing of student journalists, the chilling of academic discourse, or attempts to limit press access to government, these are not isolated incidents—they are symptoms of a broader erosion of our First Amendment rights. As stewards of our democracy, you have a responsibility to act. A federal judge just had to order the White House to restore press access to AP journalists—an action that should never have been necessary in a free nation. Meanwhile, student writers and immigrant contributors are retracting articles or staying silent out of fear—fear that their views could cost them their education, their visas, or their futures. This is not how democracy functions. It is how it fails. We ask you to: • Protect the rights of journalists, including student and immigrant reporters, to speak and publish freely without retaliation. • Enforce transparency and access across all government functions, ensuring no outlet is excluded for political reasons. • Defend academic freedom and resist censorship in institutions of higher learning. • Condemn any misuse of power that chills speech through fear, surveillance, or discrimination. Free speech is not a partisan issue. It is the foundation of every liberty we hold dear. Congress must do more than acknowledge that—it must defend it.