[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 15, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S694-S696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Biden Administration

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, over the past year, the Biden 
administration has put out some truly absurd propaganda, but last week, 
they released something that was so over the top that I had to double-
check to make sure that it was real. Yes, of course, it has up here 
that it was issued February 7, 2 p.m., and it is going to expire June 7 
of this year at 2 p.m. It had all the markings of something that was 
legitimate, but it is so outrageous that I confirmed that it was 
actually a government-issued document.
  Of course, I am referring to the Homeland Security memo that is 
summarizing the current terror threat to the United States. Under 
normal circumstances, you would expect a threat assessment to be a 
helpful document. That is what we have come to expect. But in this 
case, it wasn't obvious before, but now it is so obvious. It is crystal 
clear that conventional definitions of the word ``normal'' no longer 
apply to this administration.
  If you have not read this, you will not believe your eyes. What makes 
it so uniquely infuriating is the ease with which DHS used an official 
document to equate violent terrorists with Americans who refuse to fall 
in line with the Biden administration's narrative of the day. They did 
it so easily, just laying out their case of threat assessments to the 
United States.
  Alongside descriptions of actual violence and threats against 
churches and schools, DHS warns of ``the proliferation of false or 
misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in 
U.S. Government institutions.'' The bulletin specifically identifies 
``widespread online proliferation of false or misleading narratives 
regarding unsubstantiated widespread election fraud and COVID-19'' as 
``[k]ey factors . . . contributing to the current heightened threat 
environment.''
  Yes, you heard me correct. They identify widespread online 
proliferation of false and misleading narratives regarding 
unsubstantiated widespread election fraud and COVID-19.
  So let's decode this. They are not just talking about acts of 
violence committed to achieve a political or an ideological goal; they 
are talking about dissent. What does DHS suggest someone do if they 
find themselves menaced in the court of public opinion? They want you 
to report the offender to law enforcement. That is right--report the 
offender to law enforcement.
  I have come to the floor time and again to detail just how frightened 
the American people are of Joe Biden's radical agenda, but this 
bulletin is the best evidence I have seen to date of just how 
frightened Joe Biden is of the American people. They must be scared to 
death over there in that White House. How dare anybody question them? 
How dare anybody call them into question for the agenda that they have? 
I would even go so far as to suggest that this betrays his 
administration's desire to police the speech,

[[Page S695]]

thoughts, and opinions of American citizens and to deputize the public 
to help keep dissenters in line.
  The Biden administration is as close as they ever have been to 
declaring that expressing public disagreement with their agenda is akin 
to an act of domestic terrorism. Think about this. It isn't just an 
outrage; it is dangerous for a few different reasons, the most 
important of which is that it ignores the line differentiating violence 
and threats from constitutionally protected speech. The former have no 
place in public discourse. Let me be very clear about that. The former 
have no place in public discourse. The latter is essential to the 
functioning of our democracy.
  Indeed, this Nation's democracy--one of the reasons we have stayed 
free and have stayed a democratic republic is because we share respect 
for robust, respectful political debate. But it appears, with this 
administration, they have thrown that out the window to say: It is our 
way or it is the highway. We don't want to hear any dissent. We don't 
want to hear a point, a counterpoint. We don't want to entertain an 
objection. We are busy. We are busy pushing our socialist agenda. We 
don't have time for free-thinking, independent individuals to raise 
their hands and ask a question. It is ``get in line'' time. We have a 
short window. We have to make this happen.
  I would suggest also that it cheapens the horrors of actual terrorism 
and dilutes the perceived danger of violent extremism. It is an insult 
to the memories of those who died in the September 11 attacks and the 
Oklahoma City bombing and to those who were at gunpoint at a 
Colleyville, TX, synagogue. But lastly and most despicably, it suggests 
that Americans will never be safe until we consent to live in a 
constant state of fear. According to this bulletin, security is 
impossible in the face of dissent. It betrays a nightmarish and 
completely un-American end game.
  Today, I sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas urging him to make it 
clear that this is just sloppy communication on their part.
  Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to have that letter printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                February 15, 2022.
     Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas,
     Secretary of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Homeland 
         Security, Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Mayorkas: On February 7, 2022, the 
     Department of Homeland Security (``the Department'') issued a 
     National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin (``the 
     Bulletin'') that summarizes the current terrorism threat to 
     the United States. Among other terrorism threats, the 
     Bulletin warns of ``[t]he proliferation of false or 
     misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public 
     trust in U.S. government institutions.'' The Bulletin 
     specifically identifies ``widespread online proliferation of 
     false or misleading narratives regarding unsubstantiated 
     widespread election fraud and COVID-19'' as ``[k]ey factors 
     contributing to the current heightened threat environment.'' 
     To combat these threats, the Bulletin recommends that 
     Americans report ``potential threats'' and ``maintain digital 
     and media literacy to recognize and build resilience to false 
     or misleading narratives.''
       I am concerned about the appearance of the Department of 
     Homeland Security policing the speech, thoughts, and opinions 
     of American citizens. In issuing this Bulletin, the 
     Department of Homeland Security appears to endorse particular 
     narratives regarding controversial issues that are at the 
     center of our national political conversation. By identifying 
     dissenting beliefs as ``[k]ey factors contributing to the 
     current heightened threat environment,'' the Department comes 
     dangerously close to suggesting that publicly disagreeing 
     with the current administration is akin to domestic 
     terrorism. And by associating opinions that deviate from this 
     administration's chosen narrative with terrorism threats--and 
     asking the public to report these ``threats''--the Department 
     of Homeland Security is chilling public discourse across the 
     country.
       I urge you to make very clear to the American public that 
     the Department of Homeland Security does not consider those 
     who disagree with this administration to be domestic 
     terrorists. I further urge you to clarify that the Department 
     will not interfere with the rights of all Americans to speak 
     publicly about their political views, including any views 
     that might conflict with the policies and political talking 
     points of this administration.
       As the Secretary of Homeland Security, you took an oath to 
     uphold our Constitution. Enshrined in the Constitution is the 
     freedom of speech, and that includes the right to question 
     the government and its preferred narrative. Speech that 
     questions the President's position regarding issues like the 
     COVID-19 pandemic and election law reform falls within the 
     heart of the First Amendment's protections. In fact, the 
     Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that this kind of 
     ``core political speech'' is ``the primary object of First 
     Amendment protection.'' It is your duty as the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security to ensure that your Department does not 
     interfere with this core protected speech in any way.
       To be clear, violence and true threats of violence are not 
     constitutionally protected speech and have no place in our 
     public discourse. There are real threats to the United 
     States, our homeland. and our citizens from malign foreign 
     governments and terrorists. The Bulletin correctly recognized 
     this fact and aptly referenced the January 15, 2022 attack on 
     a synagogue in Colleyville. Texas as an example of the 
     continuing threat of violence that our nation faces. The 
     Department of Homeland Security is charged with protecting 
     Americans from these true threats. The Department should not, 
     however, police the public discourse of American citizens 
     simply because that discourse might ``sow discord or 
     undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions.'' 
     Indeed, robust public debate--including debate that questions 
     the government and its policies--is central to any 
     functioning democracy.
       Many Americans have expressed doubts regarding topics like 
     COVID-19 mask mandates and the origins of the COVID-19 
     pandemic. Many others have voiced frustration regarding state 
     and federal election laws. Whether this administration agrees 
     with these views is irrelevant; the First Amendment protects 
     all of them from government interference. I urge you to 
     revise the Bulletin to make clear to the American public that 
     it is decidedly not the role of the Department of Homeland 
     Security to enforce particular narratives or to quash the 
     speech of those who disagree with this administration.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Marsha Blackburn,
                                            United States Senator.

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I would also like to briefly quote 
for the record precisely what I asked him to do:

       I urge you to make very clear to the American public that 
     the Department of Homeland Security does not consider those 
     who disagree with this administration to be domestic 
     terrorists. I further urge you to clarify that the Department 
     will not interfere with the rights of all Americans to speak 
     publicly about their political views, including any views 
     that might conflict with the policies and political talking 
     points of this administration. . . . I urge you to revise the 
     Bulletin to make clear to the American public that it is 
     decidedly not the role of the Department of Homeland Security 
     to enforce particular narratives or to quash the speech of 
     those who disagree with this administration.

  This is a very simple request. My hope is that Secretary Mayorkas 
recognizes his obligation to put everyone at ease by fulfilling it.
  I can guarantee there are people in my beloved Tennessee who are very 
upset, as they have read this bulletin, because they treasure their 
free speech. They treasure the ability to have robust political debate. 
They like talking with their friends and neighbors and having those 
discussions and seeing if they can pull them to their side of an issue, 
whether it is a local, State, or a Federal issue. They want to preserve 
that freedom.
  This memo says that freedom does go away, that it overrides the 
Constitution, that it overrides the rule of law. If you do it, somebody 
can report you, and it will be considered something not tolerated by 
this administration.
  The Biden administration put out this bulletin to highlight a 
particular danger, but the real danger lies in the document's subtext.
  Even if Secretary Mayorkas makes good on his oath to defend the 
Constitution and if he moves forward to revise the bulletin, I fear 
much damage has already been done. Through this document, the Biden 
administration has made it abundantly clear that they view dissent as a 
threat and that punishing dissent is the cost of maintaining public 
safety.
  I wish I could dismiss this as yet another political spat, but the 
White House is the world's biggest and most powerful bully pulpit. When 
the Biden administration talks, people listen, and they take them 
seriously.
  If what I have laid out today is not the position of the Biden 
administration, it is their obligation to speak up and to correct the 
record. If it is their position, it is our obligation as elected 
representatives to put ourselves between the American people and any 
official who would dare tolerate such a dystopian power grab.

[[Page S696]]

  Also, we should remind those officials that how they feel about our 
constitutional right to dissent is absolutely irrelevant.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. WARREN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.