IB 
Union Calendar No. 479 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4848 
[Report No. 118–579] 
To provide for a right of action against Federal employees for violations 
of First Amendment rights. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2023 
Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina (for himself, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of 
Louisiana, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. GOODEN of 
Texas, Mr. NEHLS, Mr. GAETZ, and Mr. JORDAN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
JULY 11, 2024 
Additional sponsors: Mr. TIFFANY, Mrs. CAMMACK, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. 
DONALDS, Mr. MASSIE, Mrs. LUNA, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. GOOD of Virginia, 
Mr. CLINE, Mr. ISSA, Mr. FRY, Mr. OGLES, Mr. PERRY, Mr. MOORE of 
Alabama, Mr. CRANE, Mr. DAVIDSON, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. 
BURLISON, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mrs. HOUCHIN, Mrs. 
MILLER of Illinois, Mr. POSEY, Ms. GREENE of Georgia, Mrs. SPARTZ, 
Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. BRECHEEN, and Mr. CLOUD 
JULY 11, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 25, 2023] 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Censorship Account-
ability Act’’. 
SEC. 2. RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
FOR 
VIOLATIONS 
OF 
FIRST 
AMENDMENT 
RIGHTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A Federal employee who, under 
color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or 
usage, of the United States, subjects, or causes to be sub-
jected, any citizen of the United States or any person with-
in the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, 
privileges, or immunities secured by the First Amendment, 
shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, 
suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—This section does not authorize a 
Federal employee to bring a suit against their Federal em-
ployer or the Federal Government for conduct that is within 
the scope of the employment relationship. 
(c) ATTORNEY’S FEES.—In any action or proceeding 
to enforce this Act, the court, in its discretion, may allow 
the prevailing party, other than the United States, a rea-
sonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs. 
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(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Federal 
employee’’ means an individual, other than the President 
or the Vice President, who occupies a position in any agen-
cy or instrumentality of the executive branch (including 
any independent agency). 
(e) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act or the 
application of a provision of this Act to any person or cir-
cumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of 
this Act, and the application of the provisions to any person 
or circumstance, shall not be affected thereby. 
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Union Calendar No. 479 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4848 
[Report No. 118–579] 
A BILL 
To provide for a right of action against Federal 
employees for violations of First Amendment rights. 
JULY 11, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:07 Jul 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
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