FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Green’s Bill Calls Wrap on CCP Censorship in Hollywood
Read the exclusive by Jon Michael Raasch in the Daily Mail
WASHINGTON—This week, Rep. Mark Green reintroduced the Stopping Communist Regimes from Engaging in Edits Now Act (SCREEN Act). This bill prohibits the State Department, as well as other government entities, from assisting studios that censor American films for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This bill was favorably reported out of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs during the 118th Congress, and a version of it made it into both the FY24 and FY25 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA).
Rep. Green said, “It’s time for La-La Land to wake up. The Chinese Communist Party has worked for decades to spread its propaganda across the United States. From Confucius Institutes to TikTok and DeepSeek, Beijing uses every avenue to push its malign influence—and Hollywood is no exception.
My bill would prohibit government entities, including the State Department and the Pentagon, from assisting film studios that allow the CCP to censor their films. This means studios under CCP influence would no longer use military assets or get special federal assistance. While the federal government should not restrict film content as it relates to China, it also shouldn’t award studios that kowtow to our biggest adversary. Taxpayer assistance for films is a privilege, not a right.
Protecting free speech is pivotal. We can’t allow a repressive communist regime to define American entertainment. The Communist ideology undermines every American principle, from the concept of civil society and the rule of law, to the separation of powers and free speech. Xi Jinping is not interested in importing American culture; he wants to dominate it. There is a reason China refused to show ‘Spider Man: No Way Home’ unless the Statue of Liberty was cut out.
Military recruiting saw drastic boosts after the release of both “Top Gun” films. Seeing a strong American military in films growing up was one of the reasons I went into the force myself. Yet with Communist China in the director’s chair, films like this will no longer be possible. We cannot cede such an important tool for military recruitment and national pride to the CCP. My bill will ensure that film studios that capitulate to CCP edits or demands will no longer receive taxpayer funding or federal assistance."
He concluded, “Let’s keep the ‘red’ off of the red carpet and ensure American films are untouched by communist influence.”
Background:
The SCREEN Act:
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Prevents the federal government from assisting studios in Hollywood with the production of a film if that film is co-produced by a Chinese company. This includes providing technical support, access to federal assets, or film-related contracts for films by certain U.S. companies.
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Requires film companies receiving production assistance from the Department of State to report to Congress previous films that have been substantially edited by the Chinese Communist Party and then bans the federal government from assisting these studios if they have edited a film for the CCP.
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Ensures Hollywood studios provide written agreements pledging not to censor their own films at the request of the CCP prior to receiving any technical assistance or access to assets from the Department of State.
See Congressman Green’s previous work on the SCREEN Act here:
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February 28, 2022: Rep. Green Introduces SCREEN Act Requiring Hollywood to Disclose Ties to the CCP
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March 8, 2023: Green Re-Introduces Bill to Kick Communist China out of Hollywood
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June 30, 2023: Pentagon Agrees with Rep. Green: Hollywood Must Stop Bowing to the CCP
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July 26, 2023: Rep. Mark Green’s Remarks in a House Foreign Affairs Committee markup of his SCREEN Act
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July 27, 2023: Rep. Green Calls “Cut” on CCP Involvement in American Films
Media coverage of the SCREEN Act:
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“Pentagon won’t help filmmakers who cooperate with Chinese censorship” By Michael Brest at the Washington Examiner
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“House Panel Advances Bill Targeting CCP Film Censorship” By Jackson Richman in the Epoch Times
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“‘American Studios Shouldn’t Be Creating CCP Propaganda:’ House Homeland Security Panel Chairman” By Samantha Aschieris in The Daily Signal
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“‘Sleeping with the Enemy:’ House Homeland Security Chairman Introduces Bill to Curb Chinese Influence over Hollywood” By Ari Blaff in National Review
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“Tennessee Rep. Mark Green’s SCREEN Act Passes Through Committee” By Kaitlin Housler in the Tennessee Star
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“Rep. Green Introduces SCREEN Act Requiring Hollywood to Disclose Ties to the CCP” in Tennessee Conservative
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“Pentagon Agrees with Rep. Green: Hollywood Must Stop Bowing to the CCP” in Clarksville Times
More from Rep. Green:
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“Secretary Austin, stop letting Hollywood use our military for Chinese censorship” By Rep. Green in the Hill here.
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“Top Gun: Maverick is everything the CCP hates and exactly what America needs” By Rep. Green in the Washington Examiner here.
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“Why Do Democrats Support Sending U.S. Taxpayer Dollars To Help Hollywood Spread Chinese Communist Propaganda?” By Rep. Green in the Federalist here.
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Rep. Green’s Letter to the Editor in the New York Times here
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Rep. Green talks SCREEN Act on The Glenn Beck Program and On Balance with Leland Vittert
Rep. Green also previously introduced another version of the SCREEN Act, this one to curb use of Department of Defense assets should a film studio be found guilty of allowing the CCP to censor content. This version was signed into law in the FY2024 NDAA.
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June 30, 2024: Pentagon Agrees with Rep. Green, Hollywood Must Stop Bowing to the CCP
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July 14, 2023: Rep. Green Boots CCP out of Hollywood in FY24 NDAA
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July 14, 2023: House Passes Five of Rep. Green’s NDAA Amendments
- June 14, 2024: Rep. Green’s Oscar-Worthy Amendment Passes House in FY25 NDAA
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