III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 264 

Recognizing the importance of protecting freedom of speech, thought, and 

expression. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 9, 2021 

Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. CRAMER, Mrs. 

HYDE-SMITH, and Mr. TILLIS) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of protecting freedom of speech, 

thought, and expression. 

Whereas freedom of speech is one of the most basic values 

of the United States; 

Whereas the ability of all people of the United States to 

speak, protest, and express their opinions publicly is central to the democratic process and to a free society; 

Whereas the principles of the freedom of speech and the freedom of expression are under attack by people with the 

desire and means to suppress opinions that those people 

regard as offensive or contrary to prevailing dogmas; 

Whereas efforts to stifle debate and silence dissenters are 

compounded by cancel culture, a movement to impose seVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:44 Jun 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR264.IS SR264

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•SRES 264 IS 

vere social and economic sanctions on those who express 

unpopular opinions; 

Whereas the freedom of speech should not be dictated by the 

majority, nor should it be restricted to the freedom to 

discuss uncontroversial topics; 

Whereas the freedom of speech includes the freedom to express views that are unpopular, controversial, and even 

offensive; 

Whereas these attacks on the freedom of speech have resulted 

in a chilling effect on free expression and created fear of 

social, economic, and deadly retaliation; 

Whereas the stifling of free expression and the resulting fear 

has exacerbated social tensions and divided the people of 

the United States; 

Whereas, in January 2018, a student at Liberty High School 

in Oregon was suspended for wearing a shirt that supported President Donald Trump; 

Whereas, in January 2018, authorities from the People’s Republic of China pressured Marriot International to fire an 

employee for using the company’s social media account to 

like a Twitter post from a Tibetan separatist group; 

Whereas, in July 2018, the People’s Republic of China pressured airline companies from the United States to alter 

their websites to recognize the country’s claim to the island of Taiwan; 

Whereas, in October 2019, Blizzard Entertainment temporarily banned Ng Wai Chung from their esports tournament for wearing a mask supporting protests in Hong 

Kong; 


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•SRES 264 IS 

Whereas, in October 2019, Blizzard Entertainment temporarily banned an American University esports team from 

their competition for displaying a sign critical of the company and supporting protests in Hong Kong; 

Whereas, in October 2019, authorities in the People’s Republic of China pressured Daryl Morey, the general manager 

of the Houston Rockets basketball team, to apologize for 

expressing support on Twitter for protests in Hong 

Kong; 

Whereas, in September 2020, the University of Southern 

California placed Professor Greg Patton on leave after 

explaining a word in the Mandarin language that is pronounced similarly to an offensive word in English during 

his lecture; 

Whereas, in December 2020, opinion editor Adam Rubenstein 

resigned from the New York Times 6 months after he 

faced backlash from the staff of the New York Times for 

editing an opinion piece by Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas; and 

Whereas, in February 2021, Lucasfilm fired actress Gina 

Carano after she authored a social media post calling on 

people not to hate their neighbors for their political 

views: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate recognizes that freedom of 

2 expression and freedom of speech are sacred ideals of the 

3 United States and should protect the freedom to peace4 fully express thoughts and opinions without fear. 

Æ 


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