Sponsor
Michael A. Rulli
Representative · R-OH
Representative · R-OH
The bill strengthens First Amendment protections by blocking enforcement of foreign censorship judgments and permitting suits against foreign states, at the cost of increased litigation, legal uncertainty for international businesses, and potential diplomatic friction.
Individuals and U.S. entities targeted by foreign censorship judgments (e.g., journalists, activists, platforms) can sue in U.S. federal court to block enforcement of those foreign orders, preventing domestic enforcement that would conflict with the First Amendment.
People harmed by foreign censorship judgments gain a legal remedy because the bill excepts §4106 suits from sovereign immunity, allowing suits against foreign states in U.S. courts for censorship-related judgments.
Refusing to enforce foreign censorship orders could provoke diplomatic friction or retaliatory actions from foreign governments, creating foreign-relations and national-security risks.
The bill's unclear definition of 'foreign censorship law' may produce inconsistent court rulings and compliance uncertainty, imposing burdens on U.S. firms operating internationally.
Creating new federal causes of action and defenses to foreign judgments will likely increase litigation and defense costs for individuals and businesses facing foreign judgments.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Stops U.S. courts from enforcing foreign judgments that implement foreign censorship laws and lets U.S. persons sue to block such enforcement; creates a sovereign-immunity exception.
Official title: To amend title 28, United States Code, to limit the enforcement of foreign censorship judgments, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 27, 2026 by Michael A. Rulli · Last progress August 27, 2026
Prohibits U.S. courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign judgments, fines, orders, or demands that implement a "foreign censorship law," and gives any United States person a private right to ask a U.S. court to declare such foreign-driven judgments unenforceable. It also amends the foreign sovereign immunity exceptions to permit suits under the new rule, creating an express cause of action and a sovereign-immunity carve-out tied to enforcement of foreign censorship laws. The measure defines "foreign censorship law" by reference to whether the foreign rule primarily restricts or penalizes expression, targets expression by content/viewpoint/speaker identity, or compels disclosures that chill speech — and whether recognizing that foreign rule would conflict with First Amendment protections if applied in the United States. It inserts a nonrecognition rule into chapter 181 of title 28 U.S.C., adds a private right of action for affected U.S. persons, and adjusts the foreign sovereign immunity statute to allow suits arising under the new provision.