Please - SUPPORT passage of the
NATIONAL version of New York State's
"Rachel's Law"---THE FREE SPEECH PROTECTION ACT (S-2977 & H.R.
5814)----
The "Free Speech Protection Act" was introduced by Reps. Peter King (R-NY)
and Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Arlen Specter
(R-PA).
Like NYS's "Rachel's Law" this federal bill would
protect American journalists from libel suits brought in foreign jurisdictions
lacking the same free speech protections found in the U.S. Constitution.
The bill has been assigned to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
If free speech is important to you, PLEASE contact the House and Senate
Judiciary Committees' Members and staff (contacts below) and urge them to
approve the bill and vote for its passage as soon as possible.
"Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of expression of ideas,
opinions, and research, and freedom of exchange of information are all
essential to the functioning of a democracy, and the fight against
terrorism," Senator Specter said. "There is a real danger that
American writers and researchers will be afraid to address the crucial subject
of terror funding and other important matters without these protections."
"Discovering the truth requires full and open debate, which is not
possible when courts are used to chill inquiry and research," Senator
Lieberman said. "The freedom of American journalists should not be
threatened by foreign courts that do not adhere to America's principles of free
speech."
"Our journalists provide us with insight on issues that affect all
Americans, such as war and terrorism," Rep. King said. "We cannot
allow their voices to be silenced by those who prefer to keep secret
the inner details of these issues. American authors and journalists should be
able to practice their first amendment right without the fear of a
lawsuit."
This legislation will create federal jurisdiction and a federal cause of action
allowing federal courts to determine---when foreigners sue U.S. journalists,
speakers, or academics in foreign courts for their U.S. speeches or
publications---whether defamation has occurred under U.S. law. The bill will
authorize a U.S. court to bar enforcement in the U.S. of a foreign judgment or
damage awards.
The impetus for this legislation is litigation involving Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld,
a U.S. citizen and Director of the American Center for Democracy (www.acdemocracy.org). Dr. Ehrenfeld's 2003 book, Funding
Evil: How Terrorism is Financed and How to Stop It, which was published solely
in the United States by a U. S. publisher, alleged that a Saudi Arabian and his
family financially supported Al Qaeda in the years preceding the attacks of
September 11. Although only 23 books were sold in the United Kingdom, the Saudi
sued Ehrenfeld for libel there.
Defamation plaintiffs around the world have made the U.K. a popular venue for
libel suits since English law does not require a libel plaintiff to prove
falsity or actual malice as is does U.S. law. Until
now, U.S. journalists or publications named as defendants in such cases were
not protected by the First Amendment in the U.S. Rather, they were forced
either to take on the massive expense, inconvenience and distress of fighting a
foreign libel case, or of accepting the defamation inveighed on them by the
courts otherwise certain to rule against them by default.
To protect U.S. writers, publishers and free speech rights against frivolous
foreign libel suits---and a bedrock foundation of U.S. Democracy---it is
critical that all Americans urge members of the House and Senate Judiciary
Committees to support this measure.
Below is a sample letter---and links to websites of the House and Senate
Judiciary Committee Members and their staffs.
Thank you.
Dear....
PLEASE SUPPORT THE FREE SPEECH PROTECTION ACT (S-2977 & H.R. 5814),
aka "Rachel's Law"
"Rachel's Law" was introduced to provide legal protections from
"libel terrorism" to New York authors and publishers. In a tremendous
victory for free speech rights, the bill passed both the Assembly and
the Senate and was signed by Governor Patterson on May 1, 2008.
Legislation to protect authors and publishers in all states has now
been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (bill number H.R.
5814) and Senate (bill number S-2977). Entitled the "Free Speech
Protection Act," introduced by Representatives Peter King (R-NY) and
Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Arlen
Specter (R-PA).
This bill would protect American journalists from libel suits brought
in foreign courts that do not have the same protections for free
speech that are found in the U.S. Constitution.
I urge you to support efforts to approve the bill and vote for its
passage as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Below is contact information for the Senatorial Judiciary Committee,
the Congressional Judiciary Committee, and Staff.
General Judiciary Committee - http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx
Staff Majority Communications Director Jonathan Godfrey -
(202) 225-3951
Majority Press Secretary/Spokesperson Melanie Roussell - (202) 225-3951
Majority
Staff Director/Chief Counsel Perry Apelbaum -
(202) 225-3951
Minority
Chief of Staff/General Counselor - (202) 226-0002
Minority
Communications Director Kim Smith - (202) 225-6906
Senators on Committee
NY
Charles Schumer -
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm
Press
Secretary Brian Fallon - (202) 224-7433
VT
Patrick J. Leahy - http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Press
Secretary Erica Chabot - (202) 224-2154
MA
Edward Kennedy - http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm
Press
Secretary Melissa Wagoner - (202) 224-2633
DE
Joseph Biden - http://biden.senate.gov/services/contact/
Press
Secreatary Elizabeth Alexander - (202) 224-2154
WI
Herbert Kohl - http://kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html
Press
Secretary Lynn Becker - (202) 224-2240
WI
Russ Feingold - http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html
Press
Secretary Zach Lowe - (202) 224-8657
CA
Dianne Feinstein -
http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe
Press
Secretary Scott Gerber - (202) 224-8657
IL
Richard Durbin - http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm#contact
Press
Secretary Joe Shoemaker - (202) 224-7028
MD
Benjamin Cardin - http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/
Press
Secretary Sue Walitsky - (202) 224-7433
RI
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse -
http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Press
Secretary Alex Swartsel - (202) 224-7433
PA
Arlen Specter -
http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
Press
Secretary Chris Gindlesperger - (202) 224-5225
UT
Orrin Hatch -
http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact
Press
Secretary Mark Eddington (202) 224-5251
IA
Charles Grassley -
http://grassley.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Press
Secretary Beth Levine - (202) 224-6197
AZ
Jon Kyl - http://kyl.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
Press
Secretary Andrew Wilder - (202) 224-4521
AL
Jeff Sessions -
http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ContactMe
Press
Secretary Michael Brumas - (202) 224-4124
SC
Lindsey Graham -
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham
Press
Secretary Wes Hickman - (202) 224-5972
TX
John Cornyn -
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
Press
Secretary Brian Walsh - (202) 224-2934
KS
Sam Brownback - http://brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm
Press
Secretary John Rankin - (202) 224-6521
OK
Tom Coburn -
http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home
Press
Secretary John Hart - (202) 224-5754
Congressional Representatives
NY-9th
Anthony Weiner - http://weiner.house.gov/email_anthony.aspx
NY-8th
Jerrold Nadler -
http://www.house.gov/nadler/emailform.shtml
CA-24th
Elton Gallegly -
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
<file://localhost/wyr/welcome.shtml>
CA-3rd
Dan Lungren -
https://forms.house.gov/lungren/forms/email.shtml
<file://localhost/lungren/forms/email.shtml>
CA-29th
Adam Schiff -
http://schiff.house.gov/HoR/CA29/Contact+Information/Contact+Form.htm
CA-28th
Howard Berman -
http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/index.shtml
<http://www.house.gov/htbin/formproc_za/berman/contact/zip_authen.txt&form=/berman/contact/form_contact.htm>
CA-16th
Zoe Lofgren - http://lofgren.house.gov/emailform.shtml
CA-35th
Maxine Waters - http://www.house.gov/waters/IMA/issue.htm
CA-39th
Linda Sanchez -
http://www.lorettasanchez.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=218&Itemid=17
<http://www.lorettasanchez.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=218&Itemid=17>
CA-27th
Brad Sherman -
http://www.house.gov/sherman/contact/
CA-49th
Darrell Issa -
http://issa.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
<http://issa.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm>
MI
14th John Conyers (Chair) -
http://capwiz.com/aipac/webreturn/?url=http://www.house.gov/conyers
VA-9th
Rick Boucher -
http://www.boucher.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=645&Itemid
<http://www.boucher.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=645&Itemid>
=
VA-3rd
Bobby Scott -
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
<file://localhost/wyr/welcome.shtml>
VA-6th
Bob Goodlatte - http://www.house.gov/goodlatte/emailbob.htm
VA-4th
Randy Forbes - http://forbes.house.gov/zipauth.html
NC-12th
Rep. Melvin Watt -
http://www.house.gov/formwatt/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
MA-10th
William Delahunt - William.Delahunt@mail.house.gov
FL-8th
Ric Keller -
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
<file://localhost/wyr/welcome.shtml>
FL-24th
Tom Feeney - carissa@tomfeeney.com
FL-20th
Debbie Wasserman Schultz -
http://wassermanschultz.house.gov/zipauth.htm
FL-19th
Robert Wexler - http://wexler.house.gov/email.shtml
TN-9th
Stephen Cohen -
http://cohen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_form&Itemid=111
<http://cohen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_form&Itemid=111>
GA-4th
Hank Johnson -
http://hankjohnson.house.gov/contact_hank_write.shtml
OH-13th
Betty Sutton - http://sutton.house.gov/about/emailform.cfm
IL-4th
Luis Gutierrez -
http://luisgutierrez.house.gov/singlepage.aspx?newsid=1262
WI-2nd
Tammy Baldwin -
http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/get_address.html
AL-7th
Artur Davis - http://www.house.gov/davis/zipauth.htm
MN-5th
Keith Ellison -
http://ellison.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87
<http://ellison.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87>
TX-21st
Lamar S. Smith (Ranking Member) -
http://lamarsmith.house.gov/contact.aspx?section=Mail
TX-18th
Sheila Jackson Lee -
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
<file://localhost/wyr/welcome.shtml>
TX-1st
Louie Gohmert - http://gohmert.house.gov/contact_louie.htm
WI-5th
F. James Sensenbrenner -
http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/email_zip.htm
NC-6th
Howard Coble - howard.coble@mail.house.gov
UT-3rd
Chris Cannon - cannon.ut03@mail.house.gov
IN-6th
Mike Pence -
https://forms.house.gov/pence/IMA/contact_form.htm
<file://localhost/pence/IMA/contact_form.htm>
IA-5th
Steve King - pete.king@mail.house.gov
AZ-2nd
Trent Franks -
https://forms.house.gov/franks/email_zipcheck.shtml
<file://localhost/franks/email_zipcheck.shtml>
OH-4th
Jim Jordan -
http://jordan.house.gov/contactform_zipcheck.shtml
OH-1st
Steve Chabot - http://www.house.gov/chabot/zipauth.shtml