[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 191 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 191

               Opposing fake news and alternative facts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2017

 Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, and Mr. Lewis 
 of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
               Opposing fake news and alternative facts.

Whereas the First Amendment to the United States Constitution states, that 
        ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or 
        prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of 
        speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to 
        assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances'';
Whereas the Free Press Clause of the First Amendment protects publication of 
        information and opinions, and applies to a wide variety of media;
Whereas the United States has historically and proudly enjoyed freedom of the 
        press;
Whereas the United States is a democracy, not an autocracy;
Whereas on February 24, 2017, the White House blocked a number of news outlets 
        from attending a question-and-answer session;
Whereas the news organizations blocked have reported on President Trump's 
        collaboration with Russia;
Whereas the most recent ``fake news'' the American people are receiving have 
        come from the President himself and his spokespersons;
Whereas on January 21, 2017, White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated, 
        ``This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration--
        period--both in person and around the globe.'';
Whereas on January 21, 2017, White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated, 
        ``We know that 420,000 people used the D.C. Metro public transit 
        yesterday, which actually compares to 317,000 that used it for President 
        Obama's last inaugural.'';
Whereas on January 21, 2017, White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated, 
        ``This was the first time in our nation's history that floor coverings 
        have been used to protect the grass on the Mall. That had the effect of 
        highlighting any areas where people were not standing, while in years 
        past the grass eliminated this visual.'';
Whereas on January 21, 2017, President Donald Trump stated, ``I looked out, the 
        field was--it looked like a million, million and a half people.'';
Whereas on January 23, 2017, President Donald Trump stated, ``that between 3 
        million and 5 million illegal votes caused him to lose the popular 
        vote.'';
Whereas on January 24, 2017, White House Counselor to the President Kellyanne 
        Conway stated, ``Here's the fact: The No. 1 source of income into Mexico 
        are Mexicans working here and sending the money back.'';
Whereas on January 25, 2017, President Donald Trump stated, ``We should've taken 
        the oil. And if we took the oil you wouldn't have ISIS. And we would 
        have had wealth.'';
Whereas on February 2, 2017, White House Counselor to the President Kellyanne 
        Conway stated, ``I bet it's brand new information to people that 
        President Obama had a 6-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two 
        Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized and they were the 
        masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre. Most people don't know 
        that because it didn't get covered.'';
Whereas on February 19, 2017, President Donald Trump stated, ``We've allowed 
        thousands and thousands of people into our country. And there was no way 
        to vet those people. There was no documentation. There was no 
        nothing.''; and
Whereas on February 19, 2017, President Donald Trump stated ``When WikiLeaks, 
        which I had nothing to do with, comes out and happens to give, they're 
        not giving classified information.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) it is Congress' duty to uphold the Constitution of the 
        United States and all of the fundamental rights, including the 
        freedom of the press;
            (2) the President must immediately acknowledge his support 
        of the First Amendment and express his support for United 
        States democracy;
            (3) the United States should continue being a democracy, 
        not an autocracy;
            (4) White House spokespersons should not issue fake news; 
        and
            (5) White House spokespersons who offer alternative or 
        inaccurate facts should retract their statements immediately.
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