The House Appropriations Committee took an important step to restoring free speech in America, but today’s efforts are just the beginning. Today, the House Appropriations Committee voted to zero out the funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s nefarious “Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention” (TVTP) grant program from the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill 2024. “Talk is cheap. Hearings without action are meaningless. But today's action shows that the House is more serious than ever before to restore freedom and take back our country from the radicals who hate what America stands for,” said MRC Free Speech America Vice President Dan Schneider. “Defunding DHS's censorship scheme is the start of a broader effort to respect the First Amendment again.” Chairman Dave Joyce (R-OH) said after the bill passed through committee: “Our job as appropriators is to fund programs with a proven track record of effectiveness to protect Americans, not waste taxpayer money on programs with unclear metrics that serve to further divide Americans along ideological lines. The bill we passed through committee includes critical investments in DHS programs that defend against terrorism and prevent violence in our communities without infringing on the rights of Americans.” The next battle will be waged on the floor of the House, where its leadership will then decide when to place the bill on the calendar for consideration, which could mean it gets combined with other appropriations bills. Later, the Senate will follow a similar pattern.

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