# 119-hres-797: Expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States.

119-hres-797, Expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-MD); status introduced (as of 2026-10-15).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-797
- As of: 2026-10-15
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hres-797
- Congress: 119
- Title: Expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States.
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-10-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-MD)
- Cosponsors: 60
- Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-15

## Summary

**Protect the freedom to read.** This resolution would voice concern about the growing wave of book bans and call on schools and local governments to follow best practices, restore removed books in Department of Defense schools, and rescind content-based restrictions on school materials. - Students and families: Urges schools to protect students' right to learn and to ensure access to a wide array of books that reflect diverse viewpoints and perspectives. - Educators: Calls on districts to follow American Library Association and other best practice guidelines when handling book challenges and to protect teachers' ability to teach contested topics. - Military families and DoD schools: Demands the immediate return of books removed from Department of Defense Education Activity schools under executive orders since January 2025. - Authors and marginalized communities: Highlights that bans disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ works and race-related books and spotlights the impact on authors, illustrators, and translators; cites PEN America reporting of 6,870 ban instances affecting 3,751 unique titles and 2,589 creators from July 2024 to June 2025.

## Cosponsors (60)

- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] (D-TX), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (D-NY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37] (D-TX), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] (D-MD), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13] (D-NY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10] (D-FL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4] (D-MD), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1] (D-OH), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3] (D-NM), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4] (D-MN), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] (D-NY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] (D-ME), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6] (D-OR), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] (D-TX), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30] (D-CA), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2763: American Family Act

## Sources
- [119-hres-797 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/797)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [119-hr-2763: American Family Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2763)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-797 (as of 2026-10-15).