Arkansas Senators Voted to Restrict Grassroots Free Speech

Grassroots Restrictions Removed from Ethics Bill which passed. In a victory for grassroots groups across the country, Republicans stood united Thursday night and helped strike Section 220 from the Senate Ethics Bill. This section would have put undue regulations on the activities of grassroots organizations free speech with their constituents. Almost all Democrats voted to restrict grassroots groups and free speech by keeping Section 220 in the bill including Arkansas Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. (Senate Recorded Vote).

The restrictions would have affected any group conducting the smallest amount of lobbying, and local issue advocates who didn't comply properly would face fines and jail sentences for noncompliance. Groups including National Right to Life, Family Research Council, American Family Association, Focus on the Family, Traditional Values Coalition, Gun Owners of America, "church pastors", and others, were worried about bill S. 1. retricting their rights to identify issues and to ask their constituents to express their congressional representatives. The provision were so onerous that even the American Civil Liberties Union sided with conservative groups in opposition to them. To review topic concerns view prior posts including: Grassroots freedom of speech threatened - Action Needed!

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Tags: Arkansas, free speech, grassroots, religious freedom, Senator