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119-s-839119th CongressWALLET

Safeguarding Honest Speech Act

Sponsored By: Senator Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

Introduced

Summary

Bars federal funding for rules that force federal employees or contractors to use someone else's preferred pronouns or a name that is not that person's legal name when that conflicts with the person's sex. It would create a complaint process, a private right to sue, and define 'sex' by reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

Show full summary
  • Federal employees and contractors: Employees and contractors who say a rule forced them to use incompatible pronouns or a non-legal name can file a complaint and sue. Remedies can include injunctive relief, compensatory damages, punitive damages up to $100,000, and attorney fees.
  • Federal agencies and departments: Agencies would have to issue a formal response to a written notice of alleged violation within 30 days.
  • Legal definitions and timing: The bill defines "sex" as based solely on reproductive biology and genetics at birth and requires suits to be filed within 1 year of the alleged violation. The text also preserves a notation "<all>" in the bill.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Federal employees: limits on pronoun rules

If enacted, this bill would bar using Federal funds to force federal employees or contractors to use pronouns that conflict with a person's sex. It would also bar using a name other than a person's legal name when referring to them. Agencies would have 30 days to issue a formal reply to a written complaint. Aggrieved employees or contractors could sue within one year. Courts could order changes and award injunctive relief, compensatory damages, punitive damages up to $100,000, and reasonable attorneys' fees. The bill would define 'person' as an individual and 'sex' based only on reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 3/4/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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