Statement on GRANITE Act: Congress Finally Takes Action Against Foreign Censorship

This statement is in response to breaking news. Please contact pr@rstreet.org to speak with the scholar.

Today, the House released the Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion (GRANITE) Act. In response, the R Street Institute’s Resident Senior Fellow in Technology and Innovation, Spence Purnell, has released the following statement:

“Congress is finally moving to defend American speech from foreign censorship, and the vehicle it has chosen is a strong one. The newly introduced federal GRANITE Act would amend Title 28 of the U.S. Code to prohibit any domestic court, whether federal or state, from recognizing or enforcing a foreign judgment, fine, order, or demand that enforces a foreign censorship law. Congress is right to act to protect free speech and should be passed with bipartisan support.”

Purnell has also written an article about the implications of the GRANITE Act and why it is needed.

Purnell focuses on the impact of misinformation on society and public policy in his work at R Street, including creating a new framework for information governance.