In a surprise move, the House Oversight Committee passed a bill to severely limit the speech of the entire campus community, but a wave of grassroots activity created the pressure needed to stop it from going any further.   A flood of calls and coalition letters prompted House Oversight Committee members to pull language from a campaign finance reform bill (HR 3485) that would have buried campus in excessive regulation.

The bill, proposed by Rep. Thomas (R-CA), discouraged speech by mandating an elaborate series of hoops through which groups such as alumni organizations and national education associations would have to jump in order to  have their voices heard on an issue.  One provision required that groups get written permission from each and every contributor each year before working on federal legislation, federal regulations, or even educating individuals about proposed policy changes. 

College radio stations, newspapers, student governments, and all other student groups with non-profit status would also have been swept up in the changes.  Gayatri Bhatt, Board Chair of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, was in DC when HR 3485 was introduced.  "Our national lobbying trip in late March could not have been at a better time," said Bhatt.  She and leaders from around the state visited members of their congressional delegation and asked them to oppose HR 3485.

In addition to grassroots pressure from campuses, over 450 national and statewide groups signed onto a letter sponsored by the Let America Speak Coalition.  The long list of signers included organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National PTA, the American Council on Education, and the American Lung Association.    

Despite the defeat of measures like this in the past, the introduction of HR 3485 is a reminder to be continually vigilant in safeguarding campus speech.

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