[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4003 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4003

 To prohibit any regulations on the singing of the National Anthem on 
                         any Federal property.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 2023

 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Fry, Ms. 
Mace, Mr. Norman, and Mr. Duncan) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition 
 to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit any regulations on the singing of the National Anthem on 
                         any Federal property.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Let Freedom Sing Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Singing of the National Anthem is an officially 
        recognized national unity ritual. Inspired by the sight of the 
        American flag still waving at Fort McHenry after 25 hours of 
        continual bombardment by British forces, Francis Scott Key 
        wrote the words of the Star-Spangled Banner in 1814. In 1931, 
        Congress declared that the Star-Spangled Banner is the national 
        anthem of the United States in section 301 of title 36, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Recognizing that the First Amendment states ``Congress 
        shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech''.
            (3) Further recognizes that singing the National Anthem is 
        an ultimate demonstration of freedom of speech, and any 
        restrictions placed upon singing the National Anthem in a means 
        that is non-disruptive would be a violation of the First 
        Amendment.
            (4) Continues that Federal properties such as the U.S. 
        Capitol should be included as ``traditional public forums'' and 
        that singing the National Anthem in public spaces which does 
        not interfere with the operation of the Federal Government's 
        official business shall not be viewed as a form of protest.
            (5) Recognizes that specific spaces in the U.S. Capitol 
        such as National Statuary Hall are a part of the shared 
        American heritage, and access to these spaces for national 
        unity rituals shall not be limited, as singing the National 
        Anthem is not a form of disruptive protest.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to protect and to 
preserve national unity and freedom of speech guaranteeing that the 
right to sing the National Anthem in federally owned public spaces such 
as the U.S. Capitol shall not be restricted for any purposes, when the 
actions do not interfere with the operation of the Federal Government.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION.

    (a) Prohibition.--
            (1) Prohibits musical performances from being listed as an 
        activity requiring permits from U.S. Capitol Police or the 
        Sergeant at Arms for activities in the U.S. Capitol.
            (2) Overrules D.C. Code Sec.  22-1307 with exclusive regard 
        to the U.S. Capitol to ensure that in public spaces within the 
        U.S. Capitol, specifically National Statuary Hall, where it 
        does not interfere with the flow of official business it is 
        lawful to sing the National Anthem without prior authorization 
        being required and that it shall not be considered a form of 
        unpermitted protest.
            (3) Places the sole discretion to limit musical 
        performances in the Capitol on the Speaker of the House and 
        President of the Senate, to be exercised at a shared discretion 
        only to permit official business to continue uninterrupted.
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