Bill · S. 5478· Senate(119-S-5478)
GRANITE Act
- Introduced
- 9/23/2026
- Last activity
- 9/23/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Lee
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion Act, or the GRANITE Act. It stops domestic courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign censorship judgments, fines, orders, or demands. The bill defines a foreign censorship law as a foreign law that restricts expression, targets expression based on content or viewpoint, or conflicts with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It gives United States persons the right to bring an action in a U.S. district court to declare such foreign judgments unenforceable. Additionally, the bill removes sovereign immunity protections for foreign states under these specific circumstances.
Yes
Does this protect the individual right to speak freely?+8
The bill establishes a right of action for U.S. persons to seek declaratory relief in federal court against foreign censorship demands.
Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life?+8
The bill protects United States persons by preventing domestic courts from enforcing foreign censorship judgments that conflict with the First Amendment.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Free Speech: Section 2 adds section 4106(b) to title 28, which prevents domestic courts from enforcing foreign censorship judgments, fines, orders, or demands. This directly benefits individuals in the United States by protecting them from foreign laws that restrict expression or conflict with the First Amendment.
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Right to Fight Back in Court: Section 2 adds section 4106(c) to title 28, granting United States persons the right to bring an action in an appropriate U.S. district court. This gives people a clear legal path to seek declaratory relief showing that a foreign censorship judgment, fine, order, or demand is unenforceable.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
Based on the provided text, there are no explicit negative impacts or burdens identified for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Freedom Of Speech+8
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Freedom Of Speech+8
- 9/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.