Should the federal government impose stronger campaign interference rules?
Bill Summary
H.R. 4617 broadens the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to cover possible interventions from foreign nationals on US elections. The bill establishes and strengthens reporting and oversight requirements for campaign advertisements (especially online ads) and foreign national contacts. It also addresses various loopholes in campaign funding practices, specifically referring to foreign funders. Finally, the bill explicitly prohibits voter intimidation and engaging in deceptive practices. Sponsor:
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California, District 19)
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Opponents say
• “The SHIELD Act contains the provisions of the Honest Ads Act, plus additional dangerous provisions. If passed, it would likely have very little effect on foreign efforts to influence or interfere with U.S. elections. Instead, it would regulate Americans seeking to exercise their First Amendment rights, with the effect of restricting political speech.” - Republican National Lawyers Association
• “We are glad to see Congress train its gaze on finding ways to prevent such interference from happening again. However, any legislative changes made to address that problem must be narrowly tailored to avoid infringing upon civil liberties. The SHIELD Act, as it currently stands, strikes the wrong balance, sweeping too broadly and encompassing more speech than necessary to achieve its legitimate goals.” - ACLU
• “We are glad to see Congress train its gaze on finding ways to prevent such interference from happening again. However, any legislative changes made to address that problem must be narrowly tailored to avoid infringing upon civil liberties. The SHIELD Act, as it currently stands, strikes the wrong balance, sweeping too broadly and encompassing more speech than necessary to achieve its legitimate goals.” - ACLU
Proponents say
• “The SHIELD Act will protect our elections from foreign interference by closing loopholes that allow dishonest behavior, increasing disclosure and transparency requirements, and ensuring that individuals engaging in conduct with foreign actors intending to influence the outcome of our elections will be held accountable by law.” - Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California, District 19)
• “Foreign adversaries attacked our elections in 2016 and they’re coming for us again in 2020. House Democrats have moved quickly to protect our democracy from foreign interference. As our first order of business, we passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which would modernize election infrastructure across the country, help block illicit foreign political activity online and crack down on secret foreign money and lobbying in our politics. We also swiftly passed the SAFE Act (H.R. 2722), a bill to help states upgrade and secure their voting systems. Today, we’re introducing The SHIELD Act, a bill to root out foreign influence, disinformation, and interference in our elections. Senate Republicans and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must take up these critical national security bills as soon as possible.” - Rep. John Sarbanes (Democrat, Maryland, District 3)
• “Foreign adversaries attacked our elections in 2016 and they’re coming for us again in 2020. House Democrats have moved quickly to protect our democracy from foreign interference. As our first order of business, we passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which would modernize election infrastructure across the country, help block illicit foreign political activity online and crack down on secret foreign money and lobbying in our politics. We also swiftly passed the SAFE Act (H.R. 2722), a bill to help states upgrade and secure their voting systems. Today, we’re introducing The SHIELD Act, a bill to root out foreign influence, disinformation, and interference in our elections. Senate Republicans and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must take up these critical national security bills as soon as possible.” - Rep. John Sarbanes (Democrat, Maryland, District 3)
- What You Need to Know About Foreign Interference and the 2020 Election (NPR)
- Senate Report says Russian Interference ‘Invariably” Supported Trump, Recommends National PSA (TechCrunch)
- Mueller and Democrat Operatives Continue to Wildly Exaggerate Election Interference (Conservative Review)
- ACLU Letter Expressing Significant First Amendment Concerns Re: The SHIELD Act (ACLU; public report)
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