A bill that would protect American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign libel judgments that undermine the U.S. guarantee of free speech passed Congress on Tuesday.
July 28, 2010
By AP
WASHINGTON–The House approved the legislation by voice vote and sent it to President Barack Obama.
Under the bill, U.S. federal courts would be prevented from recognizing or enforcing a foreign judgment for defamation that is inconsistent with the free speech guarantee in the Constitution.
Defendants in foreign cases could obtain a U.S. court order declaring that a foreign judgment would not be enforceable under American law.
Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., says foreign defamation laws lack the free speech protections of the Constitution.