{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-introduces-bill-blocking-the-federal-government-from-compelling-pronoun-use-that-contradicts-biology", "Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill Blocking the Federal Government from Compelling Pronoun Use that Contradicts Biology", "2023-11-17", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) have introduced bicameral legislation \u2013 the Safeguarding Free Speech Act. The legislation would prohibit federal agencies from forcing an employee or contractor to use personal pronouns that contradict with an individual\u2019s biological sex.\n\nAbout the bill, Sen. Cruz said, \u201cI am proud to join Rep. Andy Ogles in introducing the Safeguarding Honest Speech Act. Forcing anyone to use pronouns that don\u2019t accord with a person\u2019s biological sex is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. As the Supreme Court held, \u2018If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion.\u2019 The government has no business compelling anyone to use pronouns that contradict biological reality.\u201d\n\nRep. Ogles stated, \u201cCan you imagine getting reprimanded or fired from your job for not using an individual\u2019s \u2018preferred pronouns\u2019? Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Biden regime has imposed in its latest guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services. The radical Left is actively coercing the speech of individuals \u2013 all in service of a delusional woke agenda. The American people shouldn\u2019t be asked by their government to subsidize violations of the Constitution of the United States. I\u2019m grateful for Senator Cruz\u2019s efforts to lead the fight in the Senate, and look forward to considering this legislation in the 118th Congress.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nCatholicVote and Concerned Women for America support the Safeguarding Free Speech Act.\n\nOn October 11th, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a new \u201cGender Identity Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy for Employees and Applicants.\u201d Among many other harmful changes, this policy compelled speech by requiring employees and contractors with HHS to call other employees by their \u201cpreferred pronouns,\u201d even if those pronouns do not align with biological reality.\n\nThis speech mandate violates the First Amendment by compelling government employees and contracts to affirm the idea that a person\u2019s \u201cgender identity\u201d can be separated from their biological sex. Aside from being a violation of the Free Speech Clause, it is also a violation of the Free Exercise Clause, as anybody who has religious convictions that differ from HHS\u2019s view on human sexuality would be forced to publicly deny their faith.\n\nThe Safeguarding Free Speech Act protects the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and free exercise of religion by prohibiting federal agencies from forcing government employees or contractors to use another person\u2019s preferred pronouns.\n\nThe full text of the Safeguarding Free Speech Act is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-introduces-bill-blocking-the-federal-government-from-compelling-pronoun-use-that-contradicts-biology"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8028868362307549, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}