[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1217 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1217

   Expressing support for the citizens of the United Kingdom as they 
continue to face assaults on their rights to free speech and freedom of 
                              expression.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 27, 2026

 Mr. Rulli (for himself, Mr. Davidson, and Mr. Van Drew) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
 Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways 
 and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for the citizens of the United Kingdom as they 
continue to face assaults on their rights to free speech and freedom of 
                              expression.

Whereas the right to free speech and freedom of expression, guaranteed by the 
        First Amendment to the Constitution, is critical to upholding the 
        fundamental underpinnings of democracy in the United States and in 
        democracies around the world;
Whereas freedom of speech and freedom of expression foster conversation, debate, 
        and understanding;
Whereas citizens of the United States should not have their rights to free 
        speech or freedom of expression restricted by any foreign government;
Whereas Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other officials of the United Kingdom 
        have taken actions that censor, imprison, or otherwise punish their own 
        citizens for exercising their rights to free speech and freedom of 
        expression;
Whereas the refusal of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other officials of the 
        United Kingdom to halt mass migration into the United Kingdom has 
        contributed to social unrest and prompted citizens of the United Kingdom 
        to express their displeasure with such policies online;
Whereas Toby Young, founder and director of the Free Speech Union, and his 
        organization have experienced an influx of members as a result of 
        citizens of the United Kingdom facing consequences for exercising their 
        rights to free speech and freedom of expression;
Whereas, in September 2025, more than 100,000 individuals assembled in London to 
        protest the violations of their rights to free speech and freedom of 
        expression;
Whereas oversight by the Committee on the Judiciary has revealed that the 
        government of the United Kingdom seeks to censor United States-based 
        platforms and legitimate criticisms of its policies;
Whereas the Online Safety Act grants government regulators broad authority to 
        regulate forms of expression that they arbitrarily deem offensive or 
        improper;
Whereas London Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley has repeatedly threatened 
        to arrest both citizens of the United Kingdom and of the United States 
        for online comments, and has singled out Elon Musk, the owner of the 
        social media platform X;
Whereas five armed police officers detained Irish comedian Graham Linehan upon 
        his arrival at Heathrow Airport from Arizona in connection with posts he 
        had made on X;
Whereas Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, has called for the 
        arrest of Elon Musk and regards him as a criminal in connection with 
        comments Musk made on his own platform;
Whereas Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, director of March for Life UK, was arrested twice 
        within five months for silently praying outside an abortion clinic;
Whereas Adam Smith-Connor, a British Army veteran, was convicted and forced to 
        pay a fine for silently praying outside an abortion clinic; and
Whereas British authorities arrest more than 12,000 individuals in the United 
        Kingdom each year for speech-related offenses, averaging roughly 30 
        individuals per day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses disapproval of Prime Minister Keir Starmer 
        and the Labour Party for violating the rights to freedom of 
        speech and expression of the citizens of the United Kingdom;
            (2) condemns statements and actions by officials of the 
        United Kingdom that seek to extradite American citizens for 
        exercising the right to freedom of speech guaranteed under the 
        Constitution of the United States;
            (3) urges the Trump Administration to employ all necessary 
        resources, including tariffs, sanctions, revocation of visas, 
        and other measures, to hold accountable officials of the United 
        Kingdom who act as though they are above the Constitution of 
        the United States;
            (4) urges the Trump Administration to refuse recognition of 
        any laws or orders of the United Kingdom that infringe upon the 
        rights to freedom of speech and expression;
            (5) reaffirms that, in commemoration of the 250th 
        anniversary of the United States of America, our Founding 
        Fathers and patriots fought against a tyrannical government 
        that levied unjust taxes, violated fundamental rights, and 
        restricted the rights to freedom of speech and expression; and
            (6) reaffirms that the constitutionally protected rights of 
        American citizens take precedence over any actions by officials 
        of the United Kingdom aimed at undermining such rights.
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