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HR 5814 110th Congress House Law Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Civil actions and liability Damages Freedom of speech Injunctions Legal fees Libel and slander

Free Speech Protection Act of 2008

Introduced: April 16, 2008 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 110th Congress ended
It never became law before the 110th Congress (2007–2008) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 3, 2008
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.
Apr 16, 2008
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 16, 2008
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Free Speech Protection Act of 2008 - Allows any U.S. person against whom a lawsuit for defamation is brought in a foreign country on the basis of the content of any speech by that person that has been published, uttered, or otherwise disseminated in the United States to bring an action in a U.S. district court against any person who, or entity which, brought the suit, if the speech at issue in the foreign lawsuit does not constitute defamation under U.S. law.

Allows the award of treble damages if it is determined by a preponderance of the evidence that the person or entity bringing the foreign lawsuit intentionally engaged in a scheme to suppress rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution by discouraging publishers or other media from publishing, or by discouraging financial supporters from employing, retaining, or supporting the research, writing, or other speech of an individual.

What's happening now June 3, 2008

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2977 Related bill Free Speech Protection Act of 2008
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Calvert, Ken
California · Sep 24, 2008
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5814: Free Speech Protection Act of 2008. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5814/
MLA
"H.R. 5814: Free Speech Protection Act of 2008." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5814/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5814, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5814/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5814: Free Speech Protection Act of 2008](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5814/)
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