ATR Applauds The Introduction of a bill to Permanently Repeal the Fairness Doctrine
Pence bill will ensure freedom of speech for broadcasters

Washington, DC- Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR) have introduced H.R 2905, the “Broadcaster Freedom Act,” to kill the ironically named Fairness Doctrine once and for all.

Representatives Pence and Walden, along with 110 co-sponsors, introduced the bill late Thursday night to start to bring to an end the threatened assault on free speech some Members of Congress are currently expressing favor for. 

“Free speech and the expression of opinion, popular or not, is what makes the United States different from nearly every other nation on earth,” said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. “The delivery device for that speech does not matter.  Be it radio, television or in person, free speech must be protected, and this bill will do just that.”

The bill will strip the FCC of the ability to enforce the long outdated regulation, effectively stripping it from the books and rendering it moot.

Norquist continued, “The drive to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine is a direct attempt to shut down talk radio, plain and simple.  The fact that there are even Members of Congress entertaining the idea of curtailing speech with which they disagree is a disturbing development.  Congressmen Pence, Walden and all their co-sponsors are doing a great service to the Constitution with this piece of legislation, and great service to all Americans, regardless of political ideology.”