S. 839 — Safeguarding Honest Speech Act

This section prohibits the use of federal funds to implement, administer, or enforce any rule, policy, guidance, recommendation, or memorandum requiring a federal agency employee or contractor to use (1) another person's preferred pronouns if incompatible with that person's sex (i.e., sex recognized based solely on reproductive biology and genetics at birth) or (2) a name other than the person's legal name. It further requires agencies to issue a formal response within 30 days to any employee's or contractor's written notice of an alleged violation and authorizes an aggrieved employee or contractor to bring a civil action against the responsible agency seeking injunctive relief, compensatory damages, punitive damages (not to exceed $100,000), and reasonable attorney fees, subject to a one-year statute of limitations.