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March 1, 2021

Democrats Prepare to Attack the Free Speech Rights of Americans in HR1 as the Powerful Attempt to Control “We the People” with the deceptively named “For the People” 

“In the deceptively named ‘For the People’ Act, anti-democratic activists want to attack what non-profits can say, when they can say it, and find out who supported them. If we have learned anything about Woke, Cancel Culture, we know that the left will eviscerate those supporting causes they don’t like,” said Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins, in announcing that HR 1 will be a scored vote. 

WASHINGTON D.C. (03-01-2021) – Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins said Monday that SFLAction would score the vote on H.R.1 because it is an attempt to sideline groups like Students for Life Action and is a drastic reconfiguration of how elections should be run in the United States.  One of the ways it will do so is in how it regulates the free speech opportunities of those who engage with non-profit organizations that educate and advocate on issues like abortion. “H.R.1 is a 791 page, left-leaning wish list for how to change elections and non-profits in America – two things that have hindered a radical agenda,” Hawkins observed. SFLAction has been calling on supporters nationwide to alert their elected officials about opposition to H.R. 1 and engaging in education on social media.

Check out Kristan Hawkins’ podcast, Explicitly Pro-Life, where she and Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation discussed the dangers of HR 1 by clicking here.

In her letter to Congress, Hawkins noted: “H.R. 1 is not for the people, it is for ideologues who want to prevent millions of Americans from participating in our constitutional republic. Voters, pro-life activists, donors, and doorknockers will be put on notice that the federal government will interfere in their civic lives in an unprecedented way if H.R. 1 becomes law. The House has a chance next week to reject partisanship and promote participatory government by defeating H.R. 1.”  To read the entire letter, click here.  

Earlier this year, Hawkins signed onto a coalition letter from United for Privacy in opposition to H.R.1, sent to the leadership of the House and Senate that read: 

“On behalf of the millions of Americans who cherish and rely on the right to support causes we believe in without fear of harassment and intimidation, we, the undersigned individuals and organizations, ask you to reject H.R. 1 and S. 1, the deceptively named “For the People Act.” 

“Nonprofit organizations serve a vital role in encouraging free speech and the free exchange of ideas. Privately supporting causes — and the organizations advancing those causes — is a fundamental freedom protected by the First Amendment. 

 “H.R. 1 and S. 1 would dramatically alter the First Amendment protections that Americans have enjoyed since the founding of our country. It would institute sweeping new burdens on their constitutionally protected rights to freely speak, publish, and organize into groups to advocate for the causes they support. In particular, H.R. 1 and S. 1 would impose onerous and unworkable regulatory standards on the ability of individual Americans and groups of Americans to discuss the policy issues of the day with elected officials and the public. This bill would also violate the privacy of advocacy groups and their supporters and stringently and excessively regulate political speech on the Internet.”

Stay up to date on the Pro-Life Generation’s engagement in state legislation at https://studentsforlifeaction.org 

For interviews, e-mail Kristi Hamrick at [email protected] 

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Students for Life Action (SFLAction) is the 501c4 sister organization of Students for Life of America (SFLA), the nation’s largest, pro-life, student organization with more than 1,240 groups on middle, high school, and university campuses in all 50 states. Students for Life has more conversations with those most targeted by the abortion industry every day, week, and year than any other pro-life outreach in the world and mobilizes the Pro-Life Generation to confront abortion at the local, state and national levels daily. Every week, Students for Life entities reach more than 2 million people across social media platforms to have nearly 200,000 digital conversations with the most engaged pro-life online audience in the world.  

Students for Life of America (SFLA) is the nation’s largest, pro-life, youth organization. Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA, SFLA serves more than 1,240 groups on college and university, middle and high school, medical and law school campuses in all 50 states. Student pro-life organizations work to confront policies on their campuses to support pregnant and parenting students, to end Planned Parenthood’s relationships with schools and communities, and to change minds of their peers about abortion. SFLA has more conversations with those most targeted by the abortion industry every day, week, and year than any other pro-life outreach in the world and mobilizes the Pro-Life Generation to confront abortion at the local, state and national levels daily. Every week, Students for Life entities reach more than 2 million people across social media platforms to have nearly 200,000 digital conversations with the most engaged pro-life online audience in the world.