No Political Enemies Act

This bill would bar federal executive branch officials, including the President and Vice President, from starting or directing investigations, regulatory actions, or enforcement claims against people or U.S. organizations when the action is substantially motivated by their constitutionally protected speech or association. People facing such a federal claim could raise political targeting as a defense, and the government would then have to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the claim was not substantially motivated by protected speech. The bill would let affected people sue for court orders to stop such actions and sue officials for money damages, limit officials' immunity and the government's ability to pay their judgments, and allow courts to award uncapped attorneys' fees. It would also ban spending federal funds on such actions and require the Attorney General to report quarterly to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on certain sensitive Justice Department matters.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Jason Crow Democrat sponsor
• 11 cosponsors