House Republicans seek to prohibit DHS from creating another ‘Disinformation Governance Board’.
House Republicans Introduce Bill to Ban DHS Disinformation Governance Board
House Republicans are set to unveil legislation on Thursday that aims to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from establishing another Disinformation Governance Board. The move comes after concerns were raised by conservatives regarding censorship. The bill, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) along with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Ronny Jackson (R-TX), seeks to mandate that federal funds cannot be used for the creation of such a board. The DHS terminated its previous panel in August 2022, just months after its launch, which claimed to combat misinformation, “malinformation,” and disinformation in the United States.
Republicans Push Back Against Biden Administration’s Control of Speech
Rep. Pfluger, who serves on the Homeland Security Committee alongside Rep. Greene, criticized the Biden administration’s attempt to control the speech of American citizens. He emphasized that the focus of the DHS should be on securing the border and preventing terrorist attacks, rather than fact-checking social media and censoring Americans.
Republicans have been actively seeking ways to limit the Biden administration’s ability to track and combat disinformation. This includes supporting appropriations bills that aim to cut off federal funding for related programs.
Previous Efforts to Block DHS Governance Board
This is not the first time Republicans have attempted to prevent the establishment of a DHS governance board. Last year, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) led a group of 61 GOP members, including Rep. Pfluger, in introducing legislation to prohibit federal funds from being used for similar entities. They referred to the board as the “Ministry of Truth.”
Concerns Over Previous DHS Governance Board
The previous DHS Governance Board, led by Nina Jankowicz, faced criticism from Republicans who accused her of promoting conspiracy theories and supporting censorship efforts against conservatives. Jankowicz had cast doubt on the COVID-19 lab leak theory and promoted false claims linking former President Donald Trump to Russia. She was subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee to provide information on the board’s activities and its approach to countering disinformation while protecting First Amendment rights.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Misinformation and Disinformation Subcommittee, which is no longer active, has also faced scrutiny from Republicans for alleged censorship. Vijaya Gadde, a former subcommittee member and Twitter’s ex-chief legal officer, suggested meeting with the Global Disinformation Index, among other groups. The House Judiciary Committee accused the subcommittee of censoring political speech and highlighted its ties to social media companies.
Protecting Free Speech
Rep. Pfluger emphasized that the purpose of the DHS bill is to safeguard free speech. Rep. Greene echoed this sentiment, criticizing the Biden administration for establishing a “communist-style” Disinformation Governance Board and censoring American citizens. She highlighted that the disbandment of the board was a result of public outrage.
The DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
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