In a rare act of bipartisan cooperation, US Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have introduced the JAWBONE Act, a bill that would give Americans the legal standing to sue federal officials who attempt to coerce broadcasters or online platforms into removing or suppressing speech.
According to Ars Technica, the legislation targets the practice sometimes called "jawboning" — when government officials pressure private companies to censor content without a formal legal order, sidestepping First Amendment constraints that apply directly to the government.
The bill arrives amid ongoing national debate over whether officials in multiple administrations have leaned on social media companies and other platforms to moderate or remove posts, often citing concerns about misinformation or national security.
Separately, Representative Harriet Hageman has introduced her own legislation focused specifically on holding federal employees accountable for censorship involving artificial intelligence systems, signaling that concern over government influence on speech moderation is gaining traction across Congress.
The Cruz-Wyden pairing is notable because the two senators occupy opposite ends of the political spectrum — Cruz is a prominent conservative and Wyden a longtime civil liberties champion. Their agreement suggests the censorship-via-coercion issue has become a genuine cross-partisan concern rather than a purely partisan talking point.
If passed, the law would create a direct legal remedy for citizens who believe a federal official pressured a platform to silence them — a significant shift from the current landscape where such complaints have few clear enforcement mechanisms. Whether it matters depends on whether it can survive the Senate and avoid being weaponized selectively, but its bipartisan authorship gives it unusual credibility in a polarized Congress.