On February 23, 2026, Lee Rowland, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), delivered testimony before the House Committee on the Judiciary at its spotlight hearing, “Silencing Dissent: The First Amendment Under Attack.”
Her testimony documents a troubling reality: across the United States, fear of government retaliation is reshaping what artists create, what teachers teach, what students say, what journalists publish, and what cultural institutions dare to exhibit. While the First Amendment’s protections remain on paper, millions of Americans are experiencing a chilling effect in practice—self-censorship driven not always by explicit bans, but by pressure, threats, and the withdrawal of public funding.
Drawing on NCAC’s direct advocacy work with students, educators, artists, curators, and cultural institutions nationwide, this testimony outlines how executive actions, regulatory enforcement, and political coercion have undermined free inquiry in schools, universities, museums, media outlets, and public institutions.
Read Lee’s full testimony here:
