Alexandria, VA – The Institute for Free Speech released the following statement in response to today’s vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1, which the Institute has dubbed the “For the Politicians Act”:

“The House majority approved what is effectively an omnibus bill for violating free speech. H.R. 1 would fund candidate political ads with tax dollars, silence advocacy groups and nonprofits, restrict political speech on the Internet, and grant control of the Federal Election Commission to a speech czar chosen by the president. The bill’s provisions range from unconstitutional, to unworkable, to just plain incomprehensible,” said Institute for Free Speech Chairman Bradley A. Smith.

“The bill subsidizes the speech of politicians and limits speech by Americans. That’s bad for the First Amendment and bad for our democracy,” said IFS President David Keating. “We commend Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his work to inform his colleagues about the threat to free speech from H.R. 1.”

For all of the Institute for Free Speech’s resources, analysis, and commentary on H.R. 1, click here.

About the Institute for Free Speech

The Institute for Free Speech is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes and defends the First Amendment rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government. Originally known as the Center for Competitive Politics, it was founded in 2005 by Bradley A. Smith, a former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission. The Institute is the nation’s largest organization dedicated solely to protecting First Amendment political rights.