H.R. 1880 — Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act of 2025

This section states congressional findings concerning the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The findings are that (1) the FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex; (2) FCC commissioners are Senate-confirmed for specified terms and cannot be removed at will by the President; (3) FCC independence is essential to fulfilling its mission without political pressure; (4) the FCC must set its own priorities without undue influence from the President or presidential advisors; (5) under section 326 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 326), the FCC lacks censorship authority over radio communications and may not interfere with free speech rights; and (6) FCC investigations or threats of action must not suppress viewpoints or intimidate broadcast licensees into adopting a political agenda.

This section establishes FCC viewpoint protections by prohibiting the agency from (1) revoking licenses or taking other actions against licensees based on viewpoints broadcast or disseminated by the licensee or affiliates; or (2) imposing viewpoint-based conditions on approvals of certain mergers, transfers, or other transactions. The prohibitions do not limit FCC authority to act on violations of federal criminal laws prohibiting (A) radio or television broadcasts of lottery information (18 U.S.C. 1304), wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343), or obscene, indecent, or profane radio communications (18 U.S.C. 1464)—or conduct that would violate those laws if disseminated via radio or television—or (B) First Amendment incitement.