[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1995

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                               speech of

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4606) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human 
     Services, and Education, and related agencies, for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1995, and for other purposes.

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Chairman, the Hefley amendment represents the most 
dangerous form of direct government censorship. It targets a particular 
station for the broadcast of a particular program that someone in the 
government did not like.
  There will always be programs on public broadcasting stations that 
any one of us might object to for some reason. But we cannot allow the 
government to censor programming or editorial decisionmaking of public 
broadcasting stations.
  A commentator on a Pacifica radio station made statements during a 
program that were objectionable. They set ground rules, and the 
commentator chose not to appear again on the air under those rules. The 
station offered reply time to those who objected to the comments. The 
station responded to this event in a reasonable manner.
  While I also object to the statements allegedly made on this program, 
I must strongly object to any effort to place the government directly 
in the role of a censor of programming. This violates our national 
commitment to freedom of expression and freedom of the press from 
direct government censorship.
  While we must demand accountability. While we must, and do, demand 
objectivity and balance from public broadcasters. We must say no to 
efforts to target any particular program, station or newscast from 
direct political retribution. This is government censorship in its most 
virulent and destructive form and I strongly object to the acceptance 
of this amendment by the committee without debate and without a vote.

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