Paul Ryan on Civil Liberty

Summary

In 2007, Congressman Ryan was a strong supporter of the Free Flow of Information Act This legislation prevents journalists from being compelled by a federal entity to testify, produce documents, or disclose sources in civil and criminal cases, unless certain standards and conditions are met.

Since that time, there have been four major votes on legislation relating to civil liberty. This includes two votes on the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act, a vote on the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 or CISPA, and a vote on the 2012 NDAA. Congressman Ryan voted in favor of all of those pieces of legislation.

 

Free Flow of Information Act of 2007

in October of 2007, Congressman Ryan issued a press statement noting his support for the Free Flow of Information Act, also known as the Media Shield Act. The legislation 

 

Voting Record

CISPA

In April of 2012, the House voted to pass the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 or CISPA. Passing with the support of mostly Republicans, the legislation calls for the establishment of information sharing between technical companies and the federal government. It exempts those technical companies from prosecution and lawsuits even if sharing that information is a violation of their contracts with their customers whose data they are sharing. Paul Ryan voted in favor of CISPA.

Arrest and Detention of US Citizens

In December of 2011, the House voted on the Defense appropriations act for 2012 - HR 1540. Part of that legislation was a provision to express the authorization of the military to arrest and indefinitely detain US citizens. The only requirement for this was that the person be suspected of allying with al-Qaida. The legislation passed 283-136. Paul Ryan voted in favor of the legislation.

Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act

In February of 2012, the House voted on H R 347, the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act. This legislation effectively made protesting illegal by enacting a penalty of one to ten years for entering or remaining in a restricted building without permission, disrupting government business or official functions at restricted buildings, obstructing ingress or egress from restricted buildings, or engaging in physical violence. The law applies to any building where any person may go that may be allowed to have secret service protection. The legislation passed the Senate in a unanimous consent and passed the House in a 399-3 vote. Paul Ryan voted in favor of the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act.

Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011

In February of 2011, the House voted on HR 347. The bill passed with wide margins in a 399-3 vote. The bill was controversial because it made it a crime punishable by up to a year to enter a federal building to protest or to protest on a street or in a building in which a person may enter that is protected by the Secret Service. Paul Ryan voted in favor of the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011.

Free Flow of Information Act of 2007

In October of 2007, the House passed the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007. The law would have created a shield for journalists so that they would not be at risk from prosecution if they refused to disclose a confidential source. There was an exception for matters in which a judged ruled the information that was leaked classified. Paul Ryan voted in favor of the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007.

 

Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation

This representative has not been identified as sponsoring or cosponsoring significant legislation related to this title.

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